The catastrophic natural disaster which is taking place in Australia is another alarm bell going off in my mind and I suspect yours too. Even though the threat has subsided, the problem has not gone away.
The extent of the current raging bushfires which began in September 2019, is notably greater and has caused an incredible amount of destruction.
There was a poll completed by Voice of Islam radio drivetime, on its Instagram asking if you agree with climate researchers who say there is a connection between climate change and increased risk of natural disasters? 89% of people said Yes, which clearly shows the world is concerned.
According to the Canberra Times Newspaper, the fires have killed 28 people and more than 2200 houses destroyed.
Sir David Attenborough, has said it is “palpable nonsense” to suggest that Australia’s bushfire crisis has nothing to do with climate change as he warned “the moment of crisis” has arrived.
Further, Professor and ecologist Chris Dickman of the University of Sydney estimated the number of killed animals to one billion. This number excludes frogs, insects or fish. The affected area (10.7 million hectares) is said to be roughly the size of Guatemala or South Korea.
These figures may seem unfathomable, unfortunately, are very real and currently happening.
The effects of the fires are not only limited to Australia now but are impacting on New Zealand. The snow on the mountains is darkening, and the air quality is suffering. According to NASA, smoke has travelled to Chile and is expected to make a full circuit around the whole globe. Global data from three agencies, Nasa, Noaa and the UK Met Office show that 2019 was the second warmest year since 1850. Read in BBC News:
Affected Wildlife
After Conservation groups wrote their concerns about the extinction of certain species of animals to the government, the Australian government promised 50 Million Dollars to help rescue and preserve the affected wildlife.
Last Saturday, Matt Kean, the Minister for Energy & Environment of New South Wales, has tweeted that the National Parks and Wildlife Service staff has dropped down thousands of Kilograms of Carrots and Sweet Potatoes via helicopter for the animals, especially the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby colonies. On Twitter and other social media, the reaction to this act of kindness towards animals was highly praised.
There is an animal in Australia called the Wombat, which is a short-legged Marsupial. It was shared on Twitter that the Wombats have saved many animals by letting them take shelter in their deep burrows – they even actively herd fleeing animals.
What can we do?
Many people think, “What could I possibly do, one person would not change much anyway”, but if everyone changed their behaviour and kept the environment clean, many things could be achieved. For example, planting trees. It is a great way to help and enhance nature.
In these raging fires, many people lost their lives, and many more have lost their homes. Many animals were killed or lost their habitat. Now all over the world, people, be it celebrities or governments, have started donating to help the affected areas in Australia.
To Donate & Help Support Today – Australia Bushfire Emergency
Fires are still burning in Australia, and experts say that even cooler temperatures and the heavy rain which has arrived would not end the bushfire threat.