Australia was already grappling with extreme heat and one of the worst droughts on record when devastating bushfires began. Scientists had warned for more than a decade that an extreme bushfire season was coming — and that the climate crisis was to blame.
Australia was already grappling with extreme heat and one of the worst droughts on record when devastating bushfires tore through the bone dry land.
For months, the infernos have raged through Australia's southeast, leaving parts of the country choking under some of the worst air pollution in the world. Since September, more than 18 million hectares of bush, land and forest have been burned. At least 28 people have died, around 3,000 homes have been destroyed and about one billion animals could have been affected.
This is how the Australian fires are being extinguished 03:05Furthermore, Australia is known for extreme fluctuations in its weather. In summer, it's not uncommon for towns to see 40°C weather one day and heavy hailstorms the next. But the climate crisis is making those fluctuations worse, experts say.
One Australian town's long road to recovery from fires 02:40Public outrage over the fires has been mounting, with much of the anger directed at Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his administration's climate policies and response to the fires.Last week, more than 400 climate, weather and fire scientists signed an open letter calling on Australia's leaders and policymakers to take"genuine concerted action to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases.
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