Australian Fire Emergency Alert
Australia’s record high temperatures combined with record low rainfall are a perfect (fire) storm.
Rivers are either dry or at record lows, and major city water supplies have forced high grade water restrictions. Some regional centres have
Australian Fire Emergency Alert
Australia’s record high temperatures combined with record low rainfall are a perfect (fire) storm.
Rivers are either dry or at record lows, and major city water supplies have forced high grade water restrictions. Some regional centres have already run dry, relying on water being trucked in.
Recently, Australia gained the dubious mantle of being the hottest place on earth. Temperatures have topped and exceeded 50c. The Birdsville Pub had an unofficial reading of over 53c.
While some media outlets continue to ignore climate change as the cause, an emergency arose as fires rage out of control, consuming everything in their paths.
The eastern seaboard is in flames with most, if not all, roads out of Sydney closed. For several weeks, Sydney has had hazardous air quality more than ten time the maximum safe level. Smoke pollution reduced visibility to a few kilometres.
Ferry services were cancelled on several days, and workers told to stay home.
New South Wales Premier, Gladys Berijiklian, said that holiday plans should be changed if they involved driving through fire zones.
Meanwhile, the NSW and QLD governments have approved new fossil fuel mining, and SANTOS has been given the green light to drain 46 gigalitres of water from the Great Artesian Basin, per year. The Northern Territory requires 40 gigalitres per year, by comparison.
Claims that the bush would regenerate within six weeks rely on rainfall, of which there is none. Millions of hectares of bush has been razed with much more in danger. There is no end in sight, and no rain forecast.
Concerns have been raised about polluted drinking water as poisonous fallout settles on supplies.
Here’s what you should do:
- Cancel holiday driving plans if fire zones lie within your route.
- Leave sooner rather than later if fires threaten.
- Never driver through a fire
- Do not rely on fire and other emergency services which are stretched beyond capacity.
- Use common sense.
- Stay calm
- Stay out of harm’s way.
- Make safety the first and only concern
This may seem obvious, but these considerations have been ignored, putting lives in danger.
We awake today with the news that two RFS volunteers have been killed. Both are young fathers with very young families.
Science warns this situation to be the new norm. Our governments have failed us and it is up to us to deal with it.
As the fires raged out of control, Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison left on a family holiday to Hawaii. This decision has been condemned by world media, but Australian outlets have remained silent on the issue.