It looks apocalyptic Down Under. Thousands of people were forced to flee their homes in Western Australia this week as wildfires swept through an area near the city of Perth, just as the city began a strict blockade due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials say the Wooroloo Fire, which has a perimeter of 80 miles, doubled in size overnight and has already almost destroyed 20,000 acres. Over 70 houses They were lost since the fire started Monday night, inclusive 80% of all properties in a rural area.
In a media briefing, Western Australian Prime Minister Mark McGowan said the state was in an “unprecedented situation”.
“We are fighting disasters on two fronts: the devastating fires and the Covid-19 pandemic,” McGowan said.
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The city and parts of Western Australia were already under strict stalemate for five days after a security guard at a hotel used as a quarantine unit in Perth tested positive for coronavirus on Monday. This may seem excessive for a single case, but these types of aggressive measures have kept the total death toll in Australia during the pandemic until less than 1,000.
The quarantine in Australia’s fourth-largest city was scheduled to rise on Friday, but officials told residents that evacuation orders and personal safety during the fire overturned any government pandemic blockade orders. The US faced a similar situation last year (minus blocking things) as wildfires broke out in the west, forcing large-scale evacuations even as the pandemic erupted. Unfortunately, Australia’s pandemic is more controlled, but the evacuations risk hurting the country’s delicate balance.
“Let me be clear: I urge people to stay informed and prepare,” said Western Australian Police Commissioner Chris Dawson. he told residents Wednesday. “If you are threatened, leave your property and go to the appropriate location. Do not stay if you think you have to follow the rules of covid-19. ”
It’s summer in Australia, and the bushfire season has become more and more destructive as the planet warms. Devastating fires last year killed at least 34 people and burned 48 million acres. Scientists estimate that a tearing down the jaws of 3 billion animals died or were displaced, pushing 113 species towards the edge of extinction.
Last year was the country the fourth hottest year on recordThe Australian Weather Bureau said last month. For Western Australia, the rank was even higher, with the state experiencing the second hottest year. Lesley Hughes, a member of the Australian Climate Council and a fire expert, said in a document statement that “in recent months, the southwest has received very little rainfall compared to the rest of the country. This is part of a long-term drying trend, with winter rainfall declining by 20% since the 1970s. ”
This is in line with the growing situation not only for the state but for all of Australia. A report released last year showed that climate change exacerbated the hot and dry conditions that led to the intense bush fire season by up to 30%. Rising temperatures will only make the landscape more flammable.