[QUOTE] Scientist: 'I'm certain' climate change caused Australia fires

We have had the driest year on record, and it follows the previous year, which was very dry as well. This year has been the hottest year on record by quite a considerable amount, about 1°F. And those conditions are part of the long-term trajectory of climate change, and they've conspired together with a windy season to produce these horrific fire conditions that have gone on and on. This was predicted by climate scientists first in the early 80s. My own Climate Council has produced 12 reports warning the government and warning people of the escalating fire risk and danger in Australia, and sadly, until it hits, very little is done. I am absolutely certain [this is climate change caused]. The science is telling us this. It's telling us that the extreme heat conditions we've seen this year might occur naturally once every 350 years. But once you add the influence of human-emitted greenhouse gases we're likely to see those conditions once every eight years. And of course that number will decline, it will become more frequent as the buildup of gases continues.