Many bad stories were circulating in the news at the start of this year. One of the biggest being about Australia’s bush fires that are engulfing much (15.6 million acres) of the country’s terrain. The fires have been raging since September due to a drought. Australia has been facing hot and dry conditions which have led to the ignition of bushfires, sometimes caused by lightning hitting the extremely dry landscape. 28 people, including firefighters, have lost their lives, and over 2,000 homes have been decimated along with the land. Firefighters continue to push every day in hopes of finally ending the destruction with the help of volunteers. Some have lost their lives while trying to save others and their country. People are doing what they can to survive this natural disaster. It is estimated that over 1 billion animals have been killed and are now facing near extinction. They face a long track to recovery, if possible at all. Ecosystems are destroyed and the food chain is highly unstable. Animals could starve or wipe out another species while trying to find food. Plants and forests will have a long path to regrow and replace the ecosystems that were once there. Many crazy things are going on every day for the Australians, but one thing is certain: Australia will never be the same again.
Being on the other side of the world shouldn’t stop you from helping. Donate to support those trying to put out the fires, helping to provide for the people, and saving the animals in Australia.
County Fire Authority in Victoria:
https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/home
Australian Red Cross:
https://www.redcross.org.au/campaigns/disaster-relief-and-recovery-donate#donate
Vets Beyond Borders:
https://www.vetsbeyondborders.org/
Sources:
https://eos.org/articles/five-environmental-consequences-of-australias-fires