When you think of Australia, you probably imagine the animals, insects, and outback. What you probably do not think of are the wildfires tearing it apart. An article by NPR stated that, “At least 25 people have died in the fires, which have wrought historic levels of destruction.” The fires are taking homes, land, and even wildlife. They leave nothing but disaster in their wake. The fires started in late December of 2019, and as of now there are over 100 fire outbreaks, 69 of them are still not contained.

Though there are many human casualties, animal death tolls are even worse. NPR’s Jason Beaubien reported, “The number of cattle and sheep killed is still being tallied, but the losses are expected to be enormous. And the death toll among wild animals is even worse.” And he is right. Ecologists at Sydney University have estimated that almost half a billion animals have perished in the state of New South Wales.

The wildfires started in late 2019, caused by people deliberately starting bush fires.  These fires may not have spread, but the in the past months Australia has seen unseasonably high temperatures and little rainfall, making the conditions right for spreading fire.  Also, the conditions make it hard to control and put out the fires. As of now, a total of 24 people have been arrested as the fire-starters. Their charges could range from warnings to jail sentences.

As a whole, the fires have been devastating. People, along with millions of animals, have lost their homes and habitats. It is amazing to see the rest of the world banding together to help the country. From volunteers to fundraisers, hopefully we can help build up Australia even better than before.