Australia is currently suffering from one of the most worst fires in the history of Australian bush fires. The continent which is admired greatly for its beautiful landscape is nowadays in the clutches of dangerous fire. So, in order to tell you how hazardous these fires are, here are 10 things you need to know about Australia fires.
Every year Australia has the bush fire season which starts around the month of September and last till Feb or March. But this time, due to climate emergency situtations round the world, Australia is undergoing the record-breaking disastrous fires. This in turn will help these flames in lasting longer. These fires are leading to huge loss of human lives and wildlife.
Let’s take a look at 10 things that Australian bush fires have done to the whole continent of Australia!
1Populous areas on fire
The bush fire mainly affects the southern and eastern regions of the continent. These areas include – Adelaide and Melbourne where most of the population lives. But this time the fires are massive and the flames have engulfed areas like New South Wales and Victoria as well. New South Wales, where Sydney is located, has been declared to be the most unsafe zone. It is a very populous region and has been declared to be at the highest risk.
2Massive extent of land burnt
The areas burnt and still burning in these Australian fires are far extensive than you could have imagined. It has been estimated that more than 15 million acres of land has been burnt. That is almost seven times the amount of burnt area the Amazon experienced in 2019 and about three times the amount burnt in California’s 2018 wildfires.These figures of land burning are record breaking and devastating.
3Fires are even affecting New Zealand
These Australian fires are not only affecting Australia but are even reaching out to New Zealand. Nearly 200 fires are burning in the continent and its smoke is spreading to as far as New Zealand. In Auckland, New Zealand, the sky has turned bright orange. There is a lot of smoke in the air and the ashes from the fires have turned glaciers yellow.
4Great loss of human lives and property
The unprecedented Australian bushfires have thrown Australia into a huge ring fire. These fires have torn through rural communities across the nation. Around 25 people have died, over 1,500 homes have been destroyed, and around 28 people have gone missing till date. These fires continue to burn and there is a great danger looming over the continent.
5More than 500 animals dead
Australian wildlife is famous all around the globe. The fauna of the continent includes variety of unique birds, reptiles, animals such as koalas, kangaroos, wallabys, echidnas, dingos, etc. The ongoing Australian bushfire has impacted the natural habitats of these animals catastrophically. More than 500 animals have died as a result of these fires.
6Thousands of Koalas and Kangaroos have died
The Kangaroo Island , located in the state of South Australia, has been a refuge for some of the country’s most endangered creatures. It is here where thousands of disease-free koalas lived as compared to chlamydia infected koalas living on mainland. But when these devastating fires reached this island, it killed thousands of koalas and kangaroos leaving a challenge for the rehabilitation of the species.
7Koalas are at greater risk
One-third population of the koalas in New South Wales, which is estimated to be at least 8000, have been killed in these fires. Koalas have been more at risk of these fires since they are slow-moving animals, unlike kangaroos. Also, koala bears only eat leaves from eucalyptus tree, which is filled with oil, making them highly flammable. Very few of the koalas could be rescued and those who have been are suffering from severe burns.
8Climate Change is worsening these fires
Although, Australia fights with these fires every year but this time due to drastic climate changes and global warming, the fires have proved to be catastrophic. The once gorgeous landscape of Australia is now looking like a war zone. The climate change is worsening the conditions of these fires and has been acting like a fuel. There has been a decline in the rainfall and an increase in the heat waves. Also, the year 2019 was the hottest on record for Australia, with the temperature reaching approximately 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit above the long-term average temperatures.
9Firefighters, military personnel all at work
Approx. 3,000 Australian firefighters are battling with these blazes on the ground every day. Apart from the official firefighters, almost 7,000 voluntary firefighters are helping in rescuing the people and animals. They are doing the work for free based purely on humanity basis. In addition to this, many American and Canadian firefighters have flown in to help. The Australian government has also decided to send military personnel to carry out the rescue operation.
10The berating government response
The government of Australia has faced a lot of backlash from the people. Especially, the Prime Minister, Mr. Morrison has been rebuked by the people for not doing enough to mitigate the ravaging fires. Also, he has been berated for his trip to Hawaii when the continent was battling with the national crisis. After the backlash, Morrison cut short his trip and apologized for its wrong timing. Now, he has announced to send enough funds and enough support to fight with the fires.
In the end, we would like to share one good news that has come after so many days of destructive fire and that is that Australia has seen some rainfall. On January 6th, some regions received rainfall and got relief from the scorching fires. Also, many millionaires are donating funds for Australia along with the whole world praying for its betterment. We hope Australia will recover speedily!
