Is the Daintree Rainforest Affected by Bushfires?

February 8, 2020

Concern About the Impact of Bush Fires in the Daintree Rainforest

At Daintree Rainforest Village we’ve had a number of inquiries from across the globe about the impact of bush fires on our beautiful rain forest. Read on for a touching exchange between Canadian and Australian forest lovers.

“Hello there,

C….. here from Ontario, Canada. Just wondering how the Daintree rainforest and Mossman Gorge area has fared through this fire season.

I am a travel writer and visited there a couple of years ago. Now I am wondering how your forests are doing? Did you experience devastating fires or was the rainy season and forest diversity enough to get you through safely? I truly hope all is well and safe there. Its been a very challenging season for so many of you in Australia and we, people in Canada, are very concerned.

Is it possible you could give me a little update on the state of your forest and comments regarding people coming to visit there in the near future.

Thank you so much and blessings to you.

C……..”

What Really Happened in the Rain forest – my response

“Hello C,

Thank you for taking the time to make such a touching inquiry. You can imagine how all Aussies have been deeply moved by the catastrophic bush fire events in every state and it is painful to recall what happened. We have been warmed and humbled by the outpouring of support from other countries, however its not over yet.

In the Far North of Queensland dry conditions built to extreme during November and December, therefore, all of us little rain forest dwellers were included in the country-wide fire ban.

At home, in the rain forest, we had no bush fires.

Our creeks dried up we lost some eels, some rainbow fish and some freshwater crustaceans in the holes that once had water. Cassowaries and their chicks retreated into the deepest, coolest parts of the rain forest. Ancient trees began to self-mulch to protect their roots from the scorching heat. Deep, brown layers of leaf litter crunched and crumbled underfoot. Bird species that have never been seen here began to arrive and nest. We surmise that they were escaping the southern devastation. The Coral Sea carried a thick blanket of tangy smoke to remind us of the tragedy unfolding for our western neighbors in the hinterland. At Atherton and Mareeba, fires burned too close to townships and our skies smoldered a pale orange hue for the last month of 2019.

Long awaited rainfall came in January.

In the Wet Tropics and in the Daintree Rainforest in particular, we have been utterly blessed by recent, decent rainfall. Our wet season officially commenced on the 5th of January with 6 inches of rain in one night. I remember it clearly because I won the bet for that date.We have had regular, light falls almost every day. Last night we cached another 5 inches of heaven sent, luscious rainwater. Thunder and lightening crack and mumble through the water filled tree trunks.

The forest drinks it all up greedily, as if insatiable. Creeks engorge and run wildly out to sea to cool our beautiful coral reef. Waterholes, replete, are hosting a mayhem of corralling frogs. Majestic trees saturate and shed their heavy limbs to open light tunnels into the shadows of the forest….opening grow spaces for new trees to join the perpetual cycle of our cherished Daintree rainforest.

The Green Season is here

Heading into February 2020, the Daintree Rainforest looks and smells like Spring.

Her canopy is crowned with intoxicating blossoms for bats and birds and butterflies. New growth everywhere shoots suddenly – unexpected – in every glistening nook and cranny. Wild gingers and Fan Palms, pandanus and creeping vines are hurrying to lavish their greenness in the jungle. With heavy cloud cover and therefore dimmer light, the mushrooms and lichen throw soft bouquets across sodden logs and mossy bush trails. Due to warm temperatures and high humidity the mosquitoes are humming their familiar, green season tune. And so the path ends and begins, seemingly seamless.

Daintree Rainforest locals are overjoyed by each drop of rain that falls. Above all, we know how lucky we are to be here. We breathe this deep, green oxygen with the gratitude of people who escaped a close call while others are still dealing with fires. It’s time to review our eco footprint again.

Thank you for the opportunity to exhale some of my recent emotions. I think we have all been traumatized by the bush fires in Australia.

The fires had no impact on the Daintree Rainforest.

Australia is a land of contrast

Finally, as I write, the nations Capital is experiencing severe bush fire conditions. Because we are the ultimate land of contrast, the Daintree Rainforest has commenced another wet season, untouched by bushfires. We will need a lot more rain to simply maintain the average, but at least we have some.

Make sure to come say Hello when you are next in the Daintree Rainforest of Far North Queensland, Australia.”