This bushfire season was always predicted to be ferocious, but with months of hot weather to go, it’s already left an indelible scar on the nation.
The scale is immense. As at 8th January 2020, 26 lives lost, over 11 million hectares (11,000 square kilometers) burned; more than 2,000 homes destroyed and an estimated 1 billion-plus animals dead.
The fire season was already in full swing by the second week of November. But by Christmas and New Year, the situation was dire. Some wondered if we were seeing the end of the typical Australian summer holiday.
The discussion rages over whether this is the new normal — or a preview of worse to come as climate change accelerates — but we already know that affected areas will take years, decades, to recover.
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-11/australian-bushfires-photos-before-and-after/11854888