By: Ian Brehaut, Contributing Writer
Australia’s roaring wildfires have been devastating wildlife, and so far, there seems not to be any signs of the fires stopping. On the other hand, flash floods have started to affect the country and put out some fires. They are not, however, able to put out all the fires. The flash floods have affected the areas of Queensland and New South Wales on the east coast of Australia due to the monthly average rainfall tripling to 24 inches. The influx of heavy rainfall has caused the areas of drought to get flooded out and destroyed; meanwhile, the overabundance of funnel-web spiders has also become an issue.
A funnel-web spider is one of the most harmful spiders on earth. Australians need to be aware of it since it claims around 28 deaths nationwide every year. For safety reasons, Australians are advised to be mindful near rocks and forested areas.
At the same time, these wildfires are displacing people in the Australian state of New South Wales, which takes up the southern half of the country. Many iconic structures in this area, such as the Sydney Opera House, Harbor Bridge, and the rugged Blue Mountains north of Sydney, are in threat of being destroyed by the fires.
Source: CNN – New South Wales has been affected by man-made intentional and naturally caused wildfires.
Source: CNN – Tourists have been trying to get sunshine on beaches while Sydney and Melbourne have been under a haze.
To the west of Sydney, there are many rainforests and outback towns where many gemstones are mined. Forest fires in Australia are prevalent, but not at this level of intensity. A typical Australian wildfire season sets ablaze during the summer months of December through February, which increases the humidity and high-heat index ratings in the country.
Natural disasters are usually caused by climate change. Climate change can cause violent lightning strikes, setting more trees on fire. As the forest fires continue to roar, state rangers and wildlife experts are working alongside firefighters and local authorities around the world to find ways to help those who lost their homes and the animals that were injured or are in danger.
American firefighters have left the U.S. to go to Australia to assist in putting out the fires. There have been at least 3,000 destroyed homes. Environmentalists are pointing out that this issue is caused by global warming.
To date, Australia’s Blue Mountains, national parks, bushland and woodland areas, outskirts of Melbourne, and Sydney have been damaged. The air quality in Australia is expected to get worse until the fires are put out. Many citizens have been isolated in their homes since the air quality outside is unsuitable for people to breathe. The air quality has been rated to be 11 times the hazardous level.
The fires have caused a haze in the Australian skies since Dec. 10 of last year. Entire towns have been engulfed in flames. The fires have damaged at least 1,588 homes and over 650 businesses.
The New South Wales police have charged 24 people for starting the fires back in November, and have taken legal action against 183 people who have similar offenses. Grey-headed flying foxes, koalas, kangaroos, wombats, wallaby’s, and marsupial are native and common animals in the area. Those animals, as wells as rare kinds of frogs and birds, are a threat to become extinct.
Donations have been made by celebrities, businessmen, businesswomen, and companies. Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, donated $4,200 to relief efforts. Donations can be made to the Australian Red Cross, Salvation Army of Australia, the NSW Rural Fire Service, and Saint Vincent de Paul Society Australia. The Irwins, also known as the family of the “Crocodile Hunter,” have raised $8,000 in just ten days. Zoos around the world are taking the time to understand the situation in Australia and are finding ways to help animals and families in New South Wales.
