The 2019-20 Australian bushfire season started in June 2019 and is still on going. Disastrous fires are affecting the whole country, with the worst fires being along the eastern and southern coast which are also highly populated.
However, wildfires in Australia aren’t uncommon. Australia experiences annual bushfire seasons, typically starting in June and lasting until May the next year. What makes this season different?
Why are these fires more severe?
The current bushfire season have fires with a much higher intensity than usual. These changes are an effect of global warming. 2019 was the hottest and driest year for Australia, December 18th was the country’s hottest day with a recording breaking temperature of 41.9°C. This combination of extreme heat and drought results in intense fires which can spread much more easily.
What is the damage so far?
So far, the fires have burnt an estimated 18.6 million hectares. The worst affected areas are New South Wales and Victoria. At least 30 people have died due to the fires.
The fires have also had a devastating impact on Australia’s wildlife and biodiversity. Australia is home to many different species, some are even native to Australia meaning they are found no where else in the world. Across the whole country, more than 1 billion animals are estimated to have died from the fires. In New South Wales alone, 8000 Koalas have been killed, this account to 1/3 of all Koalas in the state.
Kangaroo Island, Australia’s third-largest island, has also been affected by the fires. The island has an incredibly high biodiversity, some species native to the island alone. Fears have risen of already endangered species becoming extinct due to the destruction the fires have caused. 1/2 of its Koala population has been estimated to be dead, which is around 25,000 Koalas.
What is the government doing?
The Australian government has been facing harsh criticism towards its handling of the fires. The person receiving the most backlash by far is the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. Not only did he go on holiday to Hawaii in December when the crisis was escalating, he is also an avid supporter of Australia’s coal industry. People are disappointed with his failure to anticipate the crisis, his slow response as well as his reluctance to believe that climate changed is linked to all of this. Although he promised to give 2 billion Australian dollars (1.2 billion euros) in aid, people are urging him to cut carbon emission and take climate change seriously.
How you can help
Here is a list of a few charities you can donate to in order to help combat the fires as well as the effects the fires have on Australia. Even if you can’t donate you can help by spreading awareness about the fires.
Sources:
Koala picture: https://support.wwf.org.uk/koala-protector
Map showing damage to Kangaroo Island: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50951043
Illustrations of Koala and Kangaroo by Anna McCartney