Australian bush fires

  It’s very difficult to watch news on the Australian bush fires and see the tragic toll it’s taking on lives, homes, animals, and the environment. According to news reports, 25 people have died since the fires started. On Sunday, the New South Wales Royal Fire Service reported there were 136 fires, 69 uncontained, which continue to burn across that region alone. Totals in New South Wales thus far include the loss of 1,588 homes, 153 facilities and 3,122 outbuildings (see chart). The impact on Australia’s animal life is also staggering. Professor Chris Dickman at the University of Sydney estimates that 480 million animals have been affected. He asserts, “This figure only relates to the state of New South Wales. Many of the affected animals are likely to have been killed directly by the fires, with others succumbing later due to the depletion of food and shelter resources and predation from introduced feral cats and red foxes. The figure includes mammals, birds and reptiles, and does not include insects, bats, or frogs. The true loss of animal life is likely to be much higher than 480 million.” Safe Equipment Use For Fire Prevention No stranger to wildfires, each year the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) responds to more than 1,600 preventable fires started by people using motorized equipment the wrong way. Unfortunately, lawn mowers, weed eaters, chain saws, grinders, welders, tractors, and trimmers can all spark a wildland fire. Whether working to create 100 feet of ...