By Mauricio Domínguez
More than 480 million animals have died due to the raging fires in Australia that started in September 2019. The fires have devastated nearly 3 million hectares, the equivalent to the surface of Belgium.
A few days ago, a little koala was seen next to the road escaping the brutal fires. It caught the attention of some cyclists, who offered him water to help save his life. This story had a happy ending, but many other animals have not been this lucky. Australia’s Federal environment minister Susan Ley told a local radio station on Friday that 30% of koalas in New South Wales have perished.
The bushfires have also killed people, with 18 casualties up to now, and the fires have also damaged more than 1,400 homes in the affected area.
Due to the approaching fires, tourists and locals have been forced to seek refuge on nearby beaches. A state of emergency has been declared on the coast of New South Wales, where there are over 100 active fires, and thousands of firefighters are trying to fight the flames, as temperatures reach 47°C. Hundreds of miles away in Sydney, the country’s largest city is being suffocated by the smoke.
Meteorologists warn that the fires in Australia will become increasingly common due to climate change.
It is expected that the fires can be controlled over the next few days, as security services continue with the rescue work.
Read more:
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