Climate change ‘a factor’ in bushfire crisis: McCormack

Climate change is a factor in the current bushfire crisis gripping Australia's east coast according to Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack. There are over 100 fires in NSW alone as a severe heatwave grips the country. The Bureau of Meteorology revealed the average temperature in Australia on Tuesday December 17th was 40.9c breaking the record of 40.3c set on January 7, 2013. Speaking with Sky News on Wednesday, Mr McCormack said while climate change is exacerbating the current situation it is not the only factor involved. "Climate change is an issue, but as I say again, so is arson, so is natural events that are not climate that are also creating these fires," he said. "There a number of things causing these fires but the most important thing is we put them out. "We are in the middle of a terrible drought, but we've had droughts before, we've had fires before; we will get through this." Image: News Corp Australia Read More Our Apps