Eight deaths, although other sources put the figure nine, and four millions of hectares razed is the balance of time let the wave of fire that suffers Australia since September, according to the latest official data. Only in New South Wales (near Sydney), the area most affected by the fires, and burned three million acres between July and December of this year. And the situation can go to worse, according to Shane Fitzsimmons, the commissioner of the Rural Service of Firefighters of this australian State, which estimated that about “20 million hectares of forest” are in danger of burning during the summer (which started on the 21st of December). In addition, no rainfall is expected in the affected areas until at least the end of January or beginning of February. “Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go,” said Fitzsimmons last Sunday, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
“The east coast of Australia is experiencing one of the worst droughts in history, which means that a large part of the country that is now burning is extremely dry and burns very easily. These fires, in turn, have been worsened by the high record temperatures and strong winds,” explains Jamie Hanson, head of campaigns, Greenpeace in the region Australia Pacific. Last week, the country’s oceanic recorded the two hottest days since records. Last Tuesday made an average of 40.9 degrees celsius and the following day, Wednesday 18, the average climbed up to 41,9 degrees celsius.
MORE INFORMATION
Australia declares state of emergency for the fires in the east of the country, A koala drinking from the hand of a firefighter after escaping from a fire in Australia, A kangaroo takes refuge from the fire in a pool
“Many of the fires in the north of New South Wales and in the State of Queensland [in this country] were caused by lightning during storms dry [electric], without water. Not having rain that accompany the lightning, when it falls to the ground, the leaf litter is turned on and is not extinguished,” notes Tina Bell, an associate professor at the University of Sydney.
“climate change is making the season of forest fires in Australia to be more long and hard. Causes higher temperatures and droughts more severe, which in turn makes our forest fires are more wild, more unpredictable and more severe,” adds Hanson.
And is that everything is burning. One of the trees most characteristic in this part of the world is the eucalyptus, famous for its easy to turn on, because “their leaves contain oils that make them more flammable” than other species, ” explains Bell. However, not only is this sort of that burns: “We have seen them burn all, regardless of the type of tree that is, because the conditions are very adverse. Places that should never be burned, as our tropical rainforests in Queensland or our world heritage forests, have been destroyed by the forest fires in the last twelve months,” suggests Hanson.
Precisely the eucalyptus is fed one of the most characteristic animals of the country, the koala. The NGO ecologist, WWF points out that this animal runs the risk of being extinct in the State of New South Wales to 2050, due to the felling of trees, a practice that has worsened with these fires. According to the calculations of this organization, the region of New South Wales has lost in the last 20 years, 25% of its population of koalas. “The destruction and fragmentation of their habitat means that they are forced to go to the open field in search of another place. In that moment, they face dangers such as being hit by cars, attacked by dogs or getting a disease,” says WWF.
“Australia is already experiencing the devastating effects of climate change. We are facing one of the worst droughts in history and we experience a heat wave after another. It’s not about future impacts, we are being destroyed by climate change at this time,” says Hanson of Greenpeace.
toxic Smoke
The Sydney Morning Herald reported last Thursday that since November the inhabitants of the most important city of the country, Sydney, breathed an air of a quality “very poor” for 38 days, due to the smoke of the fire. In 28 of them, the toxicity reached levels considered “hazardous”. The column of smoke caused by the fires of the region of Sydney came to Melbourne (State capital of Victoria) last Friday, more than 700 kilometres in a south-westerly direction.
Due to the intense smoke, many establishments and companies were forced to stop their activity. It is estimated that the smoke from the fire will it cost per day to the economy of the city about 50 million australian dollars (more than 31.1 million euros), according to calculations of the consulting firm SGS Economics and Planning.
Meanwhile, the australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, was suspended last Saturday, his vacation in Hawaii (united States) due to the incessant criticism from the opposition. “I understand that people have been angry to know that I was on vacation with my family (…) I Accept the criticism,” he said at the end of last week. The green party accused constantly to Morrison of “ignore the evidence of climate change”.
