You might be all wondering when did these bushfires in Australia start and when they will be stopped. We might gave thought on conspiracies or incidents like big companies starting the fires for their benefits.
The truth is, it's both a natural cause and a man-made cause.
According to BBC.com, the crisis started last September 2019. If you have read recent news, the fires had a widespread effect which in turn affecting both people and animals.
For the past months, the southern part of Australia is experiencing "hot, dry weather combined with prolonged drought and strong winds have created perfect conditions for fire to spread rapidly."
A graphic made based from NASA's satellites. (Photo from dailymail.co.uk)
Australia has different climate zones. "The northern section of Australia has a more tropical influenced climate, hot and humid in the summer, and quite warm and dry in the winter, while the southern parts are cooler with mild summers and cool, sometimes rainy winters," according to Weatheronline.co.uk.
"Although Australia has always had bushfires, this season has been a lot worse than normal."
On the other hand, there are police reports on people starting bushfires. Apparently there are people in Queensland deliberately started at least 103 fires. 183 people were already arrested since November 2019 due to their relation to 205 bushfire-related offenses, according to a news report from Unilad.co.uk
New South Wales was affected the most among states, wherein five million hectares of its land was affected--destroying over 1,300 houses. Due to the 40°C in temperature plus the strong winds, there is difficulty in deploying firefighters.
Other states are being affected by the bushfires, and these states include Victoria (800,000 hectares were burned) and Mallacoota (where residents were evacuated by the navy). Thousands (or even millions) of animals were burned to death due to this crisis.
Photo by James Ross/EPA (www.TheGuardian.com)
Photo by Jill Growler/Reuters (www.TheGuardian.com)
The fires have affected the air quality of Australia's capital, Canberra, and also as far as New Zealand.
Many of us would ask, is this the effect of climate change?
Yes climate change has a role. "Data shows that Australia has warmed overall by slightly more than one degree Celsius since 1910, with most of the heating occurring since 1950, the Bureau of Meteorology says."
A one degree Celsius higher has severe effects in the overall climate system. (Watch: truTV on Climate Change)
