Snow Gums and Fire

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE 

This species has evolved to endure some of Australia’s most extreme environmental conditions, including sub-zero temperatures, high-speed alpine winds, and intense bushfires. Of particular interest is the snow gum’s capacity for regeneration following fire, made possible through two key adaptive features: lignotubers and epicormic shoots (Walker, 2023). These structures enable the tree to produce new growth after fire damage, effectively offering it another opportunity for survival. 

note. example of epicormic growth

Epicormic growth occurs along the tree’s branches, where dormant buds lie beneath the bark. These buds are shielded from fire by the bark and are typically suppressed by hormonal signals from the tree’s canopy(Bush Heritage Australia, 2020). When the canopy is destroyed—such as during a bushfire—this hormonal suppression ceases, allowing the buds to sprout and restore the tree’s ability to photosynthesize.

note. example of lignotuber regrowth (left) and epicormic growth (right)

In contrast, lignotubers are found at the base of the snow gum and present as a swollen structure containing stored energy and dormant buds (Fairman, 2017). Like epicormic shoots, these buds are activated following canopy loss, producing vigorous new growth and enabling the tree to regenerate from the base.

note. example of lignotuber swell.

These remarkable adaptations have allowed snow gums to recover from fire events for generations. However, due to the accelerating effects of climate change, including increasingly hot and dry conditions, the frequency and severity of bushfires have risen sharply. In many cases, regeneration is followed by a second or even third fire before the tree has had time to fully recover. This cycle of premature burning often results in “double death”—a term describing the mortality of snow gums that are unable to regenerate after repeated fires (Jukes & Riley, 2024). As noted by Walker (2023), this trend poses a serious threat to the long-term viability of snow gum forests, as fire intervals become too short to support full recovery and ecosystem resilience. 

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Fire has been a natural component of the ecological cycle in the Australian Alps for extensive historical periods, driven by both natural and human causes. As climate patterns continue to shift, the dynamic between fire and the Alpine environment has changed significantly. Although it is not possible to fully reconstruct fire histories prior to 1939, evidence from dendrochronology and charcoal deposits indicates the presence of fire events dating back to 1850 (Coates, 2012).

Indigenous Australians have maintained a profound spiritual and practical relationship with the land, utilizing fire not only for survival but also to enhance the environment. As with many Indigenous communities across Australia, groups living in the Alps employed fire for a variety of purposes. Zylstra (2006) identifies multiple motivations for these controlled burnings, including promoting revegetation, increasing the presence of animals, fulfilling spiritual functions, and maintaining ceremonial pathways. Contrary to simplified non-Indigenous interpretations, recent research (Zylstra, 2006), has shown that such fire practices involved careful planning and coordination to protect vulnerable species, demonstrating the depth of knowledge and environmental stewardship held by Indigenous peoples.

Traditionally, fire was rarely used in the sub-alpine regions; however, the period following colonization witnessed a notable shift in the frequency and distribution of high-intensity bushfires. Where fires previously occurred approximately once every 25 years, this interval shortened dramatically to about every 3.5 years, largely attributed to increased fuel loads caused by reduced Indigenous fire management (Zylstra, 2006).

In recent decades, the Australian Alps have experienced a series of severe wildfires. Since 2003, more than 90% of the snow gum population in Victoria has been subjected to fire at least once (Fairman et al., 2017). Fairman et al. (2017) further note that in some areas, fire events have overlapped, with specific regions burning up to three times within a 15-year span. This paper will examine major fire events from 2003 to 2020 to illustrate the increasing severity and frequency of bushfires in the Alps.

The summer of 2003 marked one of the most catastrophic bushfire seasons in the region since European colonization. On January 7, 2003, lightning strikes ignited 87 individual fires that burned for nearly 60 days, ultimately consuming approximately 1.3 million hectares of the Australian Alps (Victorian Government, 2005). During this event, 60% of the Alpine National Park and 81% of Mount Buffalo National Park were affected, with substantial damage to both flora and fauna (Victorian Government, 2005).

Note. from Bushfire in Victorian Alps (2020). Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology. https://rcaae.org/2020/03/29/bushfire-in-the-victorian-alps/

Referring to the fire history map provided by the RCAAE (2020), it is evident that the areas impacted by the 2003 fires were also repeatedly burned in subsequent events through to 2020. Over this two-decade period, some regions experienced two to three fire events with limited time for ecological recovery. The frequency of these occurrences, defined as the "fire return interval," plays a critical role in determining the resilience and potential regeneration of these ecosystems (RCAAE, 2020).

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE 

Snow gums have held significant cultural meaning for many communities across generations. For Indigenous Australians, snow gums serve as storytellers, symbolizing strength and resilience (Grow Billion Trees, 2025). In contemporary society, these trees are admired for their unique forms and vibrant hues that contrast strikingly with snow-covered landscapes. However, recent intense fires have led to widespread snow gum dieback across many forests in the Australian Alps. The once-vibrant trees have lost their canopies and color, resulting in landscapes now dominated by ghostly, scarred grey trunks. As Walker (2023) notes, “I doubt we will ever see those old forests again.” This paper argues that the increasing threat to snow gum populations necessitates urgent conservation efforts to locate, protect, and support the regeneration of remaining and recovering stands (Walker, 2023). Beyond their aesthetic and cultural value, the loss of snow gums is expected to impact snowpack levels in the Alps (Protect Our Winters, 2025), with potential consequences for recreational activities such as backcountry skiing. Furthermore, this decline could have severe ecological repercussions, as numerous plant and animal species are dependent on snow gum ecosystems. Historical examples, such as the ecosystem collapse following the 2003 fires, underscore the importance of maintaining these forests (William, 2008). 

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this paper has examined the ways in which climate change has influenced bushfire patterns in the Australian Alps and the resulting impacts on snow gum populations. These iconic trees hold deep cultural significance for Indigenous communities, recreational users such as skiers, and others who value the unique landscape of the alpine region. Snow gums possess specialized adaptive traits that enable regeneration after fire, a process historically integrated into the natural cycle of the Alps. However, due to increasingly frequent and intense fire events driven by a warming and drying climate, these trees are often unable to regenerate and reach maturity before being subjected to subsequent burns. Historical and ecological evidence indicates a clear trend toward more frequent fire activity, placing snow gum forests at serious risk. As noted by Walker (2023), snow gums are now being “pushed beyond the ability to recover,” raising the possibility that these ancient forests may never return to their former state.

REFRENCES 

Bush Heritage Australia. (2020). The science of bushfire recovery. https://www.bushheritage.org.au/news/the-science-of-recovery?srsltid=AfmBOopT1j3PmMb78l1zp0X3l4XgJLEMiDMkie7lRNgkQUgjtMQ282Xw

Coates, F., Cullen, P., Zimmer, H., Shannon, J. (2012). Department of sustainability and environment. How snow gum forests and sub-alpine peatlands recover after fire. https://www.ari.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/34955/VBRRA-P03-revisedweb-v2.pdf

Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. (2023). Australian Government. National Heritage Places – Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves. https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/places/national/australia-alps

Fairman, T., Bennett, L., Nitschke, C. (2017). University of Melbourne. Frequent bushfires in the Victorian high country have devastated the snow gum population, endangering the flora and fauna that depend on them for survival. https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/recurring-fires-are-threatening-the-iconic-snow-gum

Grow Billion Trees. (2025). Snow gum tree: the majestic marvel of Australia’s alpine landscape. https://growbilliontrees.com/blogs/tree-stories/snow-gum-tree-the-majestic-marvel-of-australias-alpine-landscape?srsltid=AfmBOor4e7Qp1GG1cem_3J5kh92z-R1FgcSeVEQm0c3F0cN0XOHJMpvq

Jukes, S., Riley, K. (2024). Australian journal of Environmental Education. Experiments with Dark Pedagogy: Learning from/through Temporality, Climate Change and Species Extinction (and ghosts). https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0814062624000120?pdf

Protect our Winters. (2025). The Aussie Snow Gum: An Icon in Trouble. https://protectourwinters.org.au/events/the-aussie-snow-gum-icon-trouble/

Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology. (2020). Bushfire in the Victorian Alps. https://rcaae.org/2020/03/29/bushfire-in-the-victorian-alps/ 

Victorian government. (2005). The recovery story: The 2003 Alpine Fires. https://www.ffm.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0029/19757/The-recovery-story-introduction.pdf

Walker, C. (2023). Patagonia. Ghost forest: Australia’s iconic snow gums are the bleaching corals of the high country. https://www.patagonia.com.au/blogs/roaring-journals/ghost-forests-australia-s-iconic-snow-gums-are-the-bleaching-corals-of-the-high-country?srsltid=AfmBOoqiImYlbaoSkGKevv4Oz03BX7xlNNe7SsXtWLv8o_-0ckkQWnw3

William, R., Wahren, C., Tolsma, A., Sanecki, G., Papst, W., Myers, B., McDougall, K., Heinze, D., Green, K. (2008). Large fires in Australian alpine landscapes: their part in the historical fire regime and their impacts on alpine biodiversity. CSIRO publishing. 17(6). https://www.publish.csiro.au/wf/Fulltext/wf07154?subscribe=false#:~:text=Dendrochronological%20evidence%20indicates%20that%20large,infrequent%2C%20large%2C%20intense%20fires. Williams

Zylstra, P. (2006). Fire history of the Australian Apls prehistory to 2003. https://theaustralianalpsnationalparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/alps-fire-history-chapter1.pdf