We are in the middle of our winter season in America. In New York, just the other day, the high was only 31 degrees fahrenheit. Everyone is complaining about the chilly cold winds whenever they have to leave their houses, and the idea of going back to Hofstra and walking across campus in this cold weather is probably on everyone’s mind. However, for myself at least, I would take below freezing temperatures and a walk across a cold campus over the heat and flames that have been blazing through Australia for months. Here are the facts about what has been happening in Australia and how we can help.
In Australia, forest fires are not uncommon. Here in New York, we have a hurricane season and similarly in Australia they have a fire season. However, this season usually starts in December, but some of these fires have been burning from as early as September. The fires burn all over Australia, but the worst is concentrated in the south east region of the country New South Wales. They have burned through nearly 15 million acres, which is roughly the size of West Virginia, and this is seven times the size of the California wildfires that swept through the state in 2018.
A major factor that contributed to these extreme fires is none other than climate change. In an almost domino like affect, climate change has disrupted this entire country. Due to the rising temperatures from the increase in greenhouse gasses, Australia has had the hottest and driest summer it has seen in a very long time. On the hottest day on record in Australia it reached almost 106 degrees fahrenheit in Sydney, Australia, which is right around where the fires are happening. Additionally, the monsoon season in India is predicted to get a late start this year, meaning the rains will hit Australia later then normal. These factors create the perfect storm for these devastating forest fires to thrive, and it is only three weeks into the summer season.
According to USA Today, since the start of the fires until January 6th, there has been a recorded 24 deaths, and 2,000 homes destroyed. These deaths only include humans, as there is an estimated 500 million birds, reptiles, and other animals that have passed due to this threat of nature. Other sources say that there is an estimated 1 billion animals dead due to the fires. If you have been on twitter in the last few weeks, you probably saw videos of people rescuing scarred and burned Koalas, and that’s enough to tug at anyone’s heart strings, but the knowledge that there are so many more that have suffered in the fires is even worse. Watch this video here if you want more information regarding the effect of these wildfires on the wildlife of Australia, specifically its beloved Koalas.
Photo Courtasy of Britta Reimann
There are so many ways that you can help Australia return to its original state after these devastating fires. The easiest way to do this is to just simply donate, any amount of money can help. Here are some of the best organizations to donate to.
As well as donating, raising awareness about this issue is critical. Even though these fires have become one of the most devastating natural disasters in history, in my personal opinion, no one is talking about it enough. Spread the word to your friends and family and together, one step at a time, hopefully we can help Australia and its inhabitants get back on their feet!
Articles Referenced on this page:
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2020/1/6/21051897/australia-fires-billion-animals-dead-estimate