Here's just how bad the devastating Australian fires are -- by the numbers - CNN

Millions of acres have been torched and entire homes have been swallowed by flames. More than 20 people have lost their lives. About half a billion animals have been killed in New South Wales by one estimate. And the country's summer is only just beginning.

Along with a series of pictures published on his Facebook, Australian politician Leon Bignell called the reality of the fires "ugly."

"We met some of the many families and individuals who are homeless following the fire and we all need to work together to get them back on their feet as soon as possible. The mental scars though may never heal," he said.

Here's a look at just how bad the blazes have scarred the country so far:

By the numbers:

About 2,700 firefighters were battling the blazes as of Sunday.

Three have been killed.

The Australia Defence Force said Sunday it had called 3,000 army reserve forces and others with specialist capabilities to help fight the flames.

There were about 136 fires burning across NSW Monday.

Of those, 69 are not contained, the NSW Rural Fire Service said Monday.

Officials say 24 people have died nationwide this fire season.

The majority of casualties -- 18 -- are from NSW, which has been hit hardest by blazes. Three people have died in Victoria and another three in South Australia.

Two people are also missing in NSW as of Monday.

About 480 million animals have died across NSW, professor Chris Dickman with the University of Sydney, estimates. "The true mortality is likely to be substantially higher than those estimated," the university said in a statement.

Almost a third of koalas in NSW may have been killed in the fires, and a third of their habitat has been destroyed, said Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley.

In December, the smoke in Sydney was so bad that air quality measured 11 times the "hazardous" level.

In total, more than 14.7 million acres have been burned across the country's six states. That's larger than the countries of Belgium and Haiti combined.

Just in NSW, there have been more than 1,300 houses destroyed and 8.9 million acres scorched.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday unveiled a $1.39 billion fund to help rebuild communities hit by the fires.

About $347 million of that will be allocated within this year, Treasurer of Australia Josh Frydenberg added.

The prime minister has already said up to $4,200 will go to each of the volunteer firefighters battling blazes for more than 10 days.

CNN's Isaac Yee, Jessie Yeung and Akanksha Sharma contributed to this report.

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2020-01-06 11:30:00Z
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A diver is believed to have died after a great white shark attack in Western Australia - CNN

Gary Johnson is believed to have been attacked by a great white shark while diving near Cull Island, off Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia. Johnson was president of the local dive club, CNN affiliate 7 News reported.

"No parts or remains have been found, and the search is ongoing," Esperance Police Sgt. Allan Keogh told CNN.

Johnson's partner, Karen Milligan, was close by and witnessed the attack. She is being treated for shock, according to 7 News.

The attack happened hours after a reported shark sighting in the area.

"Preliminary information suggests the victim of the shark attack was in the area on a boat. It is believed the victim was diving at the time," police said in a statement.

Esperance Police and marine rescue volunteers were deployed to search the ocean for the victim.

People have been advised to take additional caution in the water following the incident. Shark warning signs have been installed along the coast and piers.

Great white sharks have been responsible for approximately 40% of shark attacks in Western Australia since 1980, and cause more serious and fatal bites than any other shark species, according to Sharksmart, a government information service.

Esperance is located about 720 kilometers (447 miles) southeast of the state capital, Perth, and is a popular spot for diving.

Sunday's incident marks the second fatal attack in the area in the past three years. In 2017, 17-year old Laeticia Brouwer was fatally injured when surfing with her father a few kilometers from Esperance.

There were 13 shark attack cases in Australia in 2019, according to wildlife advocate group the Taronga Conservation Society Australia.

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2020-01-06 09:04:00Z
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Blood-red skies loom over southeast Australia after deadly bushfires bring 'one of worst days ever' - CNN

Photographs of Pambula, in the state of New South Wales, showed an eerie, smoke-filled landscape, with deserted streets illuminated by an otherworldly, blazing red sky.

About 30 kilometers (19 miles) south, blood-red skies loomed over the town of Eden. There, hundreds of residents were seeking shelter on the beach on police advice, one Eden resident told CNN. Many houses have been destroyed in the area, and officials said they feared there would be fatalities.

A total of 146 fires are burning across the state, with 65 uncontained, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSWRFS). About 2,700 firefighters were tackling the blazes on Sunday.

"Conditions have eased today and firefighters have gained the upper hand on several dangerous fires. There are no total fire bans in place for Monday," the NSWRFS posted on Twitter.

Earlier, NSWRFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told a news conference that Saturday was "one of our worst days ever on record."

A "considerable number" of properties were lost across NSW on Saturday, Fitzsimmons said, adding that a 47-year-old man had died from cardiac arrest while fighting a fire threatening his friend's home in Batlow. The man is the 24th person to die nationwide this fire season.

Separately, four firefighters in NSW were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation, heat exhaustion and hand burns. They have since been released.

Fitzsimmons said that conditions could worsen again in the coming days. "Today will be a relief -- psychological relief but not what we need," he said.

Australia's flag carrier Qantas canceled all flights to and from the country's capital, Canberra, on Sunday due to smoke and hazardous weather conditions.

An airline passenger spotted huge clouds caused by the fires over NSW during a flight from Sydney to Melbourne on Sunday. They are pyrocumulonimbus clouds -- fire-induced thunderstorms -- which form when hot air rises from a ground based fire, according to CNN meteorologists. The air cools and condenses as it ascends, causing a cloud to form.

"This process is similar to the development of a thunderstorm," said CNN Weather's Derek Van Dam. "As such, a downdraft forms within the base of the pyrocumulonimbus cloud, allowing for embers to be picked up and carried to form new fires."

In the neighboring state of Victoria, three fires have combined to form a single blaze bigger than the New York borough of Manhattan. The fires joined overnight Friday in the Omeo region, creating a 6,000-hectare (23 square mile) blaze, according to Gippsland's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

The country's capital, Canberra, smashed its heat record of 80 years, reaching 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday afternoon, according to the country's Bureau of Meteorology. In the western Sydney suburb of Penrith, the mercury climbed to 48.9 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) -- setting a new record for the whole Sydney basin.

Victoria has declared a state of disaster, and NSW has declared a state of emergency -- both granting extraordinary powers and additional government resources to battle the fires.

It marked the first time Victoria has activated these powers since the 2009 Black Saturday fires, the deadliest bushfire disaster on record in Australia with 173 people killed and 500 injured.

Speaking at a news conference Sunday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was another difficult night across the country -- in particular in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

Morrison -- who in December faced criticism for taking a vacation to Hawaii during the fires -- said the government's response was the most significant and comprehensive ever to a natural disaster.

"I believe that's where we need to focus our attention, and we are seeking to communicate that directly to Australians to ensure they have comfort that the response is matching the need," he said.

"Sure there's been a lot of commentary, there's been plenty of criticism. I've had the benefit of a lot of analysis on a lot of issues. But I can't be distracted by that, and the public, I know, are not distracted by that.

"What they need us to focus on, all of us actually, all of us focusing on the needs there and getting the support where it needs to go. That's very much where my focus is, and that's where it will continue to be."

In a news release on Sunday, the Australia Defence Force (ADF) said it was significantly increasing its support in fighting the massive fires and had called up 3,000 army reserve forces and others with specialist capabilities.

They will also provide aircraft, ships and its largest vessel, HMAS Adelaide, with helicopter landing capabilities.

One priority for the ADF will be to assist in evacuations of people in isolated communities. HMAS Adelaide, the Australian Navy's largest ship, arrived off the coast of Eden on Sunday as evacuations took place there.

Some ADF bases will be opened to house those displaced by the fires. Troops will also help move material and supplies, support recovery centers, and aid in fire trail clearance.

New Zealand and Singapore have also offered military support, and the ADF is assessing where they can help, the news release said.

Members of the UK royal family sent their "thoughts and prayers" to Australians affected by the massive bushfires through social media accounts on Saturday. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip issued a message of condolence expressing thanks to emergency services. "I have been deeply saddened to hear of the continued bushfires and their devastating impact across many parts of Australia," the Queen wrote in a statement published on Twitter.

On their Instagram account, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said they were "shocked and deeply saddened" by "the fires that are destroying homes, livelihoods and wildlife across much of Australia," posting a photo of a kangaroo with a burning building in the background.

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex urged support for those affected by the environmental crisis in an Instagram post linking to a number of Australian fundraisers, such as the Australian Red Cross, the Country Fire Authority and the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.

CNN's Anna Coren, Nectar Gan, Jennifer Hauser, Angus Watson, Susanna Capelouto and Martin Goillandeau contributed reporting.

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2020-01-05 10:46:00Z
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Blood-red skies loom over southeast Australia after deadly bushfires bring 'one of worst days ever' - CNN

Photographs of Pambula, in the state of New South Wales, showed an eerie, smoke-filled landscape, with deserted streets illuminated by an otherworldly, blazing red sky.

About 30 kilometers (19 miles) south, blood-red skies loomed over the town of Eden. There, hundreds of residents were seeking shelter on the beach on police advice, one Eden resident told CNN. Many houses have been destroyed in the area, and officials said they feared there would be fatalities.

A total of 146 fires are burning across the state, with 65 uncontained, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSWRFS). About 2,700 firefighters were tackling the blazes on Sunday.

"Conditions have eased today and firefighters have gained the upper hand on several dangerous fires. There are no total fire bans in place for Monday," the NSWRFS posted on Twitter.

Earlier, NSWRFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told a news conference that Saturday was "one of our worst days ever on record."

A "considerable number" of properties were lost across NSW on Saturday, Fitzsimmons said, adding that a 47-year-old man had died from cardiac arrest while fighting a fire threatening his friend's home in Batlow. The man is the 24th person to die nationwide this fire season.

Separately, four firefighters in NSW were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation, heat exhaustion and hand burns. They have since been released.

Fitzsimmons said that conditions could worsen again in the coming days. "Today will be a relief -- psychological relief but not what we need," he said.

Australia's flag carrier Qantas canceled all flights to and from the country's capital, Canberra, on Sunday due to smoke and hazardous weather conditions.

An airline passenger spotted huge clouds caused by the fires over NSW during a flight from Sydney to Melbourne on Sunday. They are pyrocumulonimbus clouds -- fire-induced thunderstorms -- which form when hot air rises from a ground based fire, according to CNN meteorologists. The air cools and condenses as it ascends, causing a cloud to form.

"This process is similar to the development of a thunderstorm," said CNN Weather's Derek Van Dam. "As such, a downdraft forms within the base of the pyrocumulonimbus cloud, allowing for embers to be picked up and carried to form new fires."

In the neighboring state of Victoria, three fires have combined to form a single blaze bigger than the New York borough of Manhattan. The fires joined overnight Friday in the Omeo region, creating a 6,000-hectare (23 square mile) blaze, according to Gippsland's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

The country's capital, Canberra, smashed its heat record of 80 years, reaching 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday afternoon, according to the country's Bureau of Meteorology. In the western Sydney suburb of Penrith, the mercury climbed to 48.9 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) -- setting a new record for the whole Sydney basin.

Victoria has declared a state of disaster, and NSW has declared a state of emergency -- both granting extraordinary powers and additional government resources to battle the fires.

It marked the first time Victoria has activated these powers since the 2009 Black Saturday fires, the deadliest bushfire disaster on record in Australia with 173 people killed and 500 injured.

Speaking at a news conference Sunday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was another difficult night across the country -- in particular in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

Morrison -- who in December faced criticism for taking a vacation to Hawaii during the fires -- said the government's response was the most significant and comprehensive ever to a natural disaster.

"I believe that's where we need to focus our attention, and we are seeking to communicate that directly to Australians to ensure they have comfort that the response is matching the need," he said.

"Sure there's been a lot of commentary, there's been plenty of criticism. I've had the benefit of a lot of analysis on a lot of issues. But I can't be distracted by that, and the public, I know, are not distracted by that.

"What they need us to focus on, all of us actually, all of us focusing on the needs there and getting the support where it needs to go. That's very much where my focus is, and that's where it will continue to be."

In a news release on Sunday, the Australia Defence Force (ADF) said it was significantly increasing its support in fighting the massive fires and had called up 3,000 army reserve forces and others with specialist capabilities.

They will also provide aircraft, ships and its largest vessel, HMAS Adelaide, with helicopter landing capabilities.

One priority for the ADF will be to assist in evacuations of people in isolated communities. HMAS Adelaide, the Australian Navy's largest ship, arrived off the coast of Eden on Sunday as evacuations took place there.

Some ADF bases will be opened to house those displaced by the fires. Troops will also help move material and supplies, support recovery centers, and aid in fire trail clearance.

New Zealand and Singapore have also offered military support, and the ADF is assessing where they can help, the news release said.

CNN's Anna Coren, Nectar Gan, Jennifer Hauser, Angus Watson and Susanna Capelouto contributed reporting.

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2020-01-05 08:54:00Z
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Blood-red skies loom over southeast Australia after deadly bushfires bring 'one of worst days ever' - CNN

Photographs of Pambula, in the state of New South Wales, showed an eerie, smoke-filled landscape, with deserted streets illuminated by an otherworldly, blazing red sky.

About 30 kilometers (19 miles) south, blood-red skies loomed over the town of Eden. There, hundreds of residents were seeking shelter on the beach on police advice, one Eden resident told CNN. Many houses have been destroyed in the area, and officials said they feared there would be fatalities.

A total of 146 fires are burning across the state, with 65 uncontained, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSWRFS). About 2,700 firefighters were tackling the blazes on Sunday.

"Conditions have eased today and firefighters have gained the upper hand on several dangerous fires. There are no total fire bans in place for Monday," the NSWRFS posted on Twitter.

Earlier, NSWRFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons told a news conference that Saturday was "one of our worst days ever on record."

A "considerable number" of properties were lost across NSW on Saturday, Fitzsimmons said, adding that a 47-year-old man had died from cardiac arrest while fighting a fire threatening his friend's home in Batlow. The man is the 24th person to die nationwide this fire season.

Separately, four firefighters in NSW were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation, heat exhaustion and hand burns. They have since been released.

Fitzsimmons said that conditions could worsen again in the coming days. "Today will be a relief -- psychological relief but not what we need," he said.

Australia's flag carrier Qantas canceled all flights to and from the country's capital, Canberra, on Sunday due to smoke and hazardous weather conditions.

An airline passenger spotted huge clouds caused by the fires over NSW during a flight from Sydney to Melbourne on Sunday. They are pyrocumulonimbus clouds -- fire-induced thunderstorms -- which form when hot air rises from a ground based fire, according to CNN meteorologists. The air cools and condenses as it ascends, causing a cloud to form.

"This process is similar to the development of a thunderstorm," said CNN Weather's Derek Van Dam. "As such, a downdraft forms within the base of the pyrocumulonimbus cloud, allowing for embers to be picked up and carried to form new fires."

In the neighboring state of Victoria, three fires have combined to form a single blaze bigger than the New York borough of Manhattan. The fires joined overnight Friday in the Omeo region, creating a 6,000-hectare (23 square mile) blaze, according to Gippsland's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

The country's capital, Canberra, smashed its heat record of 80 years, reaching 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday afternoon, according to the country's Bureau of Meteorology. In the western Sydney suburb of Penrith, the mercury climbed to 48.9 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) -- setting a new record for the whole Sydney basin.

Victoria has declared a state of disaster, and NSW has declared a state of emergency -- both granting extraordinary powers and additional government resources to battle the fires.

It marked the first time Victoria has activated these powers since the 2009 Black Saturday fires, the deadliest bushfire disaster on record in Australia with 173 people killed and 500 injured.

Speaking at a news conference Sunday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it was another difficult night across the country -- in particular in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

Morrison -- who in December faced criticism for taking a vacation to Hawaii during the fires -- said the government's response was the most significant and comprehensive ever to a natural disaster.

"I believe that's where we need to focus our attention, and we are seeking to communicate that directly to Australians to ensure they have comfort that the response is matching the need," he said.

"Sure there's been a lot of commentary, there's been plenty of criticism. I've had the benefit of a lot of analysis on a lot of issues. But I can't be distracted by that, and the public, I know, are not distracted by that.

"What they need us to focus on, all of us actually, all of us focusing on the needs there and getting the support where it needs to go. That's very much where my focus is, and that's where it will continue to be."

In a news release on Sunday, the Australia Defence Force (ADF) said it was significantly increasing its support in fighting the massive fires and had called up 3,000 army reserve forces and others with specialist capabilities.

They will also provide aircraft, ships and its largest vessel, HMAS Adelaide, with helicopter landing capabilities.

One priority for the ADF will be to assist in evacuations of people in isolated communities. HMAS Adelaide, the Australian Navy's largest ship, arrived off the coast of Eden on Sunday as evacuations took place there.

Some ADF bases will be opened to house those displaced by the fires. Troops will also help move material and supplies, support recovery centers, and aid in fire trail clearance.

New Zealand and Singapore have also offered military support, and the ADF is assessing where they can help, the news release said.

CNN's Anna Coren, Nectar Gan, Jennifer Hauser, Angus Watson and Susanna Capelouto contributed reporting.

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2020-01-05 07:49:00Z
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There's a fire in Australia the size of Manhattan - CNN

The fires joined overnight in the Omeo region in Victoria state, creating a 6,000-hectare (23 square mile) blaze, according to Gippsland's Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

In neighboring New South Wales state, a fire in the Wollondilly region south of the capital Sydney remains "out of control," according to the Rural Fire Service. It has burned 264,000 hectares (1,020 square miles) of land in recent months.

Weather conditions are deteriorating rapidly on Saturday, with the country's Bureau of Meteorology warning that winds are picking up and temperatures increasing. "Today will be a day of severe to extreme fire danger through many districts," the bureau said.

The country's capital, Canberra, smashed its heat record of 80 years, reaching 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday afternoon, according to the meteorology bureau. In the western Sydney suburb of Penrith, the mercury climbed to 48.9 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) -- setting a new record for the whole Sydney basin.

The death toll is rising as conditions worsen -- Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Saturday that 23 people had been killed nationwide, up from 18 from earlier in the week. More than 1,500 homes have also been destroyed since the fire season began in September.

Victoria has declared a state of disaster and NSW has declared a state of emergency -- both granting extraordinary powers and additional government resources to battle the fires.

It marked the first time VIctoria has activated these powers since the 2009 Black Saturday fires, the deadliest bushfire disaster on record in Australia with 173 people killed and 500 injured.

On Saturday, Morrison announced the deployment of up to 3,000 Australian Defense Force Reserve troops to affected states. Four planes will also be leased by the government to provide water bombing, while the navy's largest ship, HMAS Adelaide, will be mobilized to evacuate citizens along the coast.

"Today is about ensuring we deal with the urgent crisis that is existing across fire grounds in four states in particular, to ensure we're giving everything that is needed on ground without being asked," Morrison said at a press conference.

Evacuations ahead of deteriorating weather

All three branches of the ADF -- the navy, army, and air force -- have been working this week to rescue residents from fire-threatened areas and isolated towns cut off by closed roads. On Friday, the navy evacuated about 1,000 people from the Victoria beach town of Mallacoota, Morrison said.

Some residents have chosen to stay and defend their homes, even with authorities urging people to get out while they can. Matt Runko, a homeowner in Moruya, NSW, departed late Friday -- but was forced to leave his neighbor behind.

"He's pretty confident he's got enough water and resources over there to fend it off," Runko told CNN -- but admitted it's "definitely a little bit distressing" that his neighbor was staying in the fire threat zone.

Saturday's hot, dry and windy weather is expected to hinder firefighters and worsen the flames, after a brief improvement in conditions on Thursday and Friday.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning on Saturday morning for "damaging winds" in NSW, the state hardest hit by fires so far. A passing cold front is causing temperatures to spike and humidity to drop, and bringing strong gusts up to 90 kilometers per hour (55 miles per hour) across the state's southeast.

Some of the biggest fires have been burning for months, but the real danger on Saturday is the wind. Not only does it make the fires grow faster and bigger, but the wind can carry embers far distances and start entirely new fires in new locations.

These winds will change directions once the cold front passes -- making the fires even more difficult to control. Some rain is expected by the end of the weekend heading into Monday, but won't be enough to extinguish the large ongoing blazes, according to CNN meteorologists.

Angus Barners, an incident controller at the Rural Fire Service in Moruya, NSW, said he expected "very challenging conditions."

"We can't stop the fires, all we can do is steer them around communities," he told CNN.

CNN's Mitchell McCluskey contributed to this report

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2020-01-04 11:11:00Z
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Australia fires: Are Australia's wildfires getting worse? 'Too late to leave' - Express.co.uk

Australia is still battling a rash of wildfires at the opening of 2020, as severe heat grips much of the country. Officials have enlisted military aid to tackle the scores of blazes, and some people have had to evacuate.

Are Australia’s wildfires getting worse?

The latest Australian wildfires are some of the worst the country has ever seen, with blazes in every state.

New South Wales has seen some of the worst activity, with more than 900 homes now destroyed by the oncoming flames.

Nationwide, a total of 17 people have died, and authorities are struggling to contain the flames even with foreign aid.

READ MORE: Australia bushfires: Raging infernos ravage homes as fires spread

Authorities have now rated the wildfires the worst on record, and they show no sign of abating.

Continuing hot, dry weather has spurred the flames through the Australian summer, which lasts until February this year.

More than 19,000 square miles of land has burned since before the season began last year.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said fires would likely persist until the country gets “decent rain”.

Flames are just part of the deadly risk the fires pose as they sweep Australia, as smoke has caused air quality to plummet to dangerous levels.

Bushfires on the south coast have poured smoke into Australia’s capital of Canberra, which recently recorded its worst-ever air quality.

Air Quality Index (AQI) readings in the city peaked at 3,463 on Wednesday, far exceeding the baseline “hazardous” rating of 200.

Officials advise those living under a hazardous warning to stay indoors and keep all windows closed.

Speaking to the Guardian, Dr Sophie Lewis, a Canberra-based University of New South Wales climate scientist, said the smoke makes everyone “panic".

She told the publication: “It’s permeating everything. It is the fine particulates that get through everything. This is the worst it has been.

“Last night it started to blow in and you do start to feel quite anxious and stressed.

“Smoke just makes us all panic.”

Animals are particularly suffering from the wildfires, as millions of Australia's native fauna have died as a result of the deadly blazes. 

Ecologists from the University of Sydney estimate nearly half a billion (480 million) mammals, reptiles and birds have died since the fires began. 

Koalas are among the worst-hit species, as the slow-moving creatures make their homes in eucalyptus trees, many of which are in the path of the vicious fires. 

Reports have also surfaced of farmers returning to their land to find their livestock dead, and kangaroos have been spotted fleeing the flames. 

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2020-01-03 09:03:00Z
52780530786337