Burn rate

Anthropogenic climate change is likely an important contributing factor in the unprecedented maximum temperatures on 7 February 2009

says RealClimate in a commentary the recent bushfires in the Australian state of Victoria

A kicker comes in the quote from the IPCC TAR, considered too conservative by more than a few:

In south-east Australia, the frequency of very high and extreme fire danger days is likely to rise 4-25% by 2020 and 15-70% by 2050.

P.S. Climate models predicted Australian bushfires, reports New Scientist.

Bearing in mind Vicky Pope's warning that overplaying natural variations in the weather diverts attention from the real issues.