The question instead in Australia has been the extent to which the country might use taxes and other policies to wean itself from its dependence on coal for domestic energy use. An electricity grid that mainly uses coal, as well as long driving distances in the vast country that require a lot of gasoline, has given Australia one of the world’s highest levels of greenhouse gas emissions per person.

Pressure will grow to do something. Estimates of the cost of damage from the fires have ranged from about $3 billion, or 4.4 billion Australian dollars, to $3.5 billion. Mr. Richardson, of Deloitte, estimated that one in 10,000 homes in Australia had been damaged.

The fires have also called attention to the vulnerability of Australia’s vital tourism industry. Tourism spending exceeds the combined value of Australia’s annual exports of iron ore, coal and natural gas. Australians themselves account for about three-quarters of that spending.

The tourism industry has not been broadly hit by the wildfires so far because conflagrations have mainly occurred in smaller communities. But the smoke that has at times clogged the air over Sydney and Melbourne could take a toll. The fires could have a much broader economic effect if they damage public confidence and make Australians more cautious about spending money, Mr. Richardson said.

At some favorite tourist sites, people who depend on the natural beauty of the land worry that the fires may threaten their way of life.