Wildfires in Australia

More than 38,000 square miles across Australia burned from September to January in one of the country’s worst fire seasons on record. At least 33 people were killed and thousands of others were left homeless. Scientists estimate that more than 1 billion animals died in the fires, including koalas, kangaroos, and wallabies. It’s possible some species native only to Australia may go extinct.

Australia has a bushfire season each year. Fires are typically started by lightning strikes. But this year’s severity is attributed to global warming. Long periods of drought and higher temperatures created the perfect conditions for more intense wildfires. As a result, Australians in several major cities marched to demand the government acknowledge the link between the climate crisis and the fires.