Wildfires in Australia are not a new phenomenon. They tend to happen every year, but are now beginning to make headlines for different reasons. A dangerous trend is becoming more apparent — the wildfire seasons are getting worse and are causing more damage than ever before. A total of 17.9 million acres have burned in Australia and over 28 people’s lives have been taken by the flames. Approximately 1 billion animals have been killed, and several of these species are now at risk of extinction. To make things worse, summer has only just begun in Australia and more wildfires are almost certain.
Australia’s wildfire season this year has a lot to teach us. The heated debate around climate change and its implications are embodied in the disaster. People are taking sides and pointing fingers at the causes of the fire: is it proof that climate change is real, or is it just another example of human stupidity in history?
Over the duration of three months, only 24 people are facing charges of arson and contributing to the wildfires in Australia. There was a lot of attention pointed toward the arsonists and their role in the crisis. However, this attention is misdirected. Arsonists have always existed — whether they light the fires on purpose or accidentally leave a trace behind after camping. Fires naturally occur in many habitats, Australia included, as natural forces like lightning strikes often act as ignition. Instead, there is something more concerning happening. Something is beginning to fuel these fires more than ever, allowing them to spread and get to dangerous, rarely seen levels.
Extreme drought together with record high heat and strong winds are all factors that combine to create the perfect environment for a wildfire. Rare conditions like these are predicted to become more common across the globe as the effects of climate change continue to become more visible. Australia’s average temperature has gone up by one degree since 1910, and there has been a trend of longer fire seasons following the change.
The primary focus should be on preventing the conditions that cause fires to become unmanageable. The fires are going to continue to happen, but the worsening conditions of the planet only make their impact greater. As has been preached for years, it will eventually be too late to do anything about climate change if we wait for the effects to settle in before taking action. From paying attention to food options, effectively using transit, supporting local climate change movements, and voting for people that will treat climate like the imminent problem it is — there is at least one thing all of us can do.
One of the problems our generation has is that we pay attention to something while it is trending and forget about it once it isn’t. It’s easy to forget about a crisis on the other side of the world once we stop hearing about it and stop connecting with the people it affects. Videos from Australia of koalas clinging to humans for water have become viral lately — connecting people around the world with the same passion for change. One of the positive things that came out of these last couple decades is the increasing ease of circulation of information around the world. The connection between continents is as strong as it has ever been. As long as the conversation around climate change remains prominent in media, the chances of governmental change and policy action rise alongside it. Millions of dollars have been donated through sharing Australia’s situation on social media and every cent counts, as billions are going to be needed to deal with the aftermath. The Australian government has already promised billions of dollars toward the damages as well, so there is plenty of monetary support already available for the crisis.
You can help by donating through several organizations, like the Red Cross, which help deal with the aftermath of the fires. It is also important to remember the people on the frontlines of the battle, and it is possible to directly donate to the fire service and support the families of firefighters who passed away battling the fires. However, even if you cannot donate millions of dollars like celebrities, keeping the conversation going on social media and focusing attention towards the crisis is just as important.
