You are most likely aware of the destructive fires plaguing Australia, but do you really know the extent to which they are impacting the wildlife populations and the Australian people?
Climate change is the most notable contributing factor to the outbreak of these fires. Every year, there is a dry season in Australia during which bushfires become more common; however, never before has it been so catastrophic. Fueled by 3 long years of drought and extreme heat, dry lightning, which was “responsible for starting a number of fires in Victoria’s East Gippsland region in late December,” has been at an increased risk of occurring. Additionally, according to our sources, at least 24 people intentionally ignited fires. To put that in perspective, that is less than 1% of all current fires during the year of 2019.
Who is affected?
As you scroll through Instagram, you may have come across posts about koalas and other animals being found and rescued by ordinary people near the ruins of their natural habitats. According to ecologist Chris Dickman, an estimated 1 billion animals have been killed and countless more injured by these calamitous fires. Australia’s Environment Minister Sussan Ley has stated that “it may well be up to 30 percent of the [koala] population in that region [have been killed], because up to 30 percent of their habitat has been destroyed.”
Along with Australia’s wildlife population, many residents have been affected, especially those living in the outer suburbs of major cities like Melbourne and Sydney. Billows of smoke cover the sky and, as of January 7th, 24 people were killed, 15.6 million acres of land were burned, and more than 1,400 homes were destroyed. A December 2019 statistic shows that in Sydney, ”air quality measured 11 times the “hazardous” level.”
Future Effects
If conditions like these progress, the effects on the Australian economy could grow even more disastrous. It is currently estimated that there will be a 50% increase in the price of farm-raised foodstuffs due to the loss of 95% of livestock and the continuous loss of farmland. Presently, air pollution has reached such a critical level that breathing the air in Sydney is equivalent to smoking 19 cigarettes.
Who is bringing awareness?
Many celebrities have taken it upon themselves to raise awareness of the devastation in Australia. Most notably, Ellen DeGeneres, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chris Hemsworth, Elton John, Jeff Bezos, and Kylie Jenner each donated over $1 million. Additionally, news outlets such as FOX News, CNN, and ABC have been publishing stories aimed at bringing public attention and support to Australia.
If you would like to help the situation, there are a number of ways to do so. For example you can bring awareness through social media, start a Go Fund Me, or simply donate to any number of organizations that are providing relief. The MLHS Environmental Club recently held a movie night where they screened Wall-E to raise money for the Australia Fires. If you’d like to help out on a local level please consider joining the Environmental Club, or attending their events.
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