Forest fire or bushfire, is one of the most natural cycles. However, activities by humans, climate change, major droughts, and weather patterns have ignited the intensity of bushfires. Bushfires occur due to the friction that occurs between the dried up leaves and stems of the trees. Australia, being the most fire-prone continent on this globe, is experiencing the worst bush fire period to date. Bushfires in Australia are not uncommon but the scale they occurred this time is unimaginable. These bushfires started in the month of June 2019 and are still continuing. More than 46 million acres of land is burned, which resulted in the death of around a billion animals, which included many endangered species such as the Kangaroo Island dunnarts and Kangaroo Island glossy black cockatoos.
The bushfires have affected the environment a lot. According to the studies done by NASA, it is being said that the total amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) being emitted is more than 306 million tonnes which is 12 times more as compared to the previous years. The smoke contains many other dangerous gases along with CO2.
According to the research done by Chiara Bellini and Jessica Oakes, an assistant Bioengineering professor at Northeastern University, the smoke contains particulate matter and chemicals making the air dangerous to breathe. The air that the residents of Australia are inhaling is equivalent to consuming a cup full of toxic gases in a sip.
The smoke has created a ring around the globe, NASA reported on January 2, 2020. Residents of the other states of Australia complained about the smell of the burning wood coming from the air around them. On the day of New Year’s 2020, New Zealand witnessed a thick layer of smoke from the bushfire which coloured the sky in a pale orange-yellow hue. The smoke travelled towards the glaciers, giving them a dull brown colour. On a concluding note, it is important that we understand the need to save our mother nature before it’s too late. We must follow the routes to development that are sustainable and do not cause harm to nature. Emissions of greenhouse gases must be minimised and measures must be taken to save the life affected by the bushfires.
Mrinal Garg