Climate and Nature

Bushfire smoke eats up the ozone protecting us from dangerous radiation. The damage will increase as the world heats up

Ozone does replenish itself, but a rising number of wildfires means ozone concentrations could be on track to fall.

Ozone does replenish itself, but a rising number of wildfires means ozone concentrations could be on track to fall. Image: Unsplash/Matt Palmer

Ian Rae
Honorary Professorial Fellow, School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne
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Climate and Nature

A single Australian summer of fire took out 1% of the atmosphere’s ozone – damage that will take a decade to fix.
A single Australian summer of fire took out 1% of the atmosphere’s ozone – damage that will take a decade to fix. Image: NASA

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The ozone hole over Antartica.
In 2022, the ozone hole over Antarctica was the lowest it’s ever been. Image: NASA Earth Observatory/Joshua Stevens

Tiny concentrations of ozone in the stratosphere play a key role in protecting life on earth.
Tiny concentrations of ozone in the stratosphere play a key role in protecting life on earth. Image: Unsplash/nuvaproductions
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Climate and NatureFuture of the EnvironmentClimate Change
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