Actress Yael Stone is giving up her US green card to fight a 'climate war' in Australia - CNN

Stone, who has worked in both countries and starred in the Netflix show throughout its six-year run, said the bushfires tearing through Australia motivated her to make the decision.

Having a US green card allows the holder to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis.

But the actor said it was time to make "sacrifices," adding that her decision to remain in Australia was made after a "long, considered process."

Stone said it is "unethical for us to set up a life in two countries knowing what we know."

"The carbon emissions alone from that flying, it's unethical, it's not right," the actress said in a video posted on Twitter Tuesday.

"So I will be going through the process of giving up my green card and saying goodbye to a life in America. I'm going to be here in Australia doing the work I can to make a difference here, because the time is now."

Stone added: "This is war -- and we've only got 10 years, so let's make these sacrifices, let's make these changes, let's put some skin in the game and say, 'yeah, I care and this is what I'm going to do about it.' This is just the beginning from me," she said.

Large swathes of Australia have been devastated by months of deadly wildfires that have turned skies blood red, blanketed major cities with thick plumes of smoke and left hundreds of millions of animals dead.

"Our country is on fire," Stone said in an earlier video posted on Instagram, as she launched a blistering attack against Australian leader Scott Morrison's climate change policies.

"Cold, calculated nothing. We don't have leaders, we have cowards," she added.

"We have to step up because this is war. This is a climate war. And for the first time, our enemy is not wearing a uniform that we'll be able to recognize. Our enemy is our own behavior."

Since her breakout on the Netflix prison drama, Stone has taken roles in both Australia and the United States, including her stint on HBO comedy "High Maintenance."

UN experts say the planet will reach the crucial threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels by as early as 2030, precipitating the risk of extreme drought, wildfires, floods and food shortages for hundreds of millions of people.

Scientists also agree that climate change has worsened the scope and impact of natural disasters like the fires affecting Australia. Weather conditions are growing more extreme and, for years, the fires have been starting earlier in the season and spreading with greater intensity.

Several high-ranking emergency service officials, including the former commissioner of the NSW Fire and Rescue Department, sent letters to Morrison in 2019 warning of the impact of the climate crisis on Australia.

In response, Morrison emphasized a commitment to reduce carbon emissions -- but also said he would stick to "sensible" policies, and that there wasn't "a single policy, whether it be climate or otherwise," that can completely protect against the fires.

CNN's Jessie Yeung contributed to this report.

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2020-01-07 13:14:00Z
52780543461768

24 Australians arrested for deliberately setting fires this season - ABC News

The country has been ravaged by wildfires this summer.

January 7, 2020, 3:42 AM

6 min read

Two dozen Australians in the state of New South Wales have been arrested since early November for intentionally setting fires as record-large blazes continue to burn across the country.

There have been 24 people charged with deliberately setting fires among 183 facing legal action in the state, according to the New South Wales Police Force.

In addition to those facing the most serious charges of starting fires intentionally, authorities said another 53 people are facing legal action for not complying with the state's fire ban and 47 people have faced legal action for discarding a lit cigarette or match on land.

Starting a bushfire intentionally and being reckless in causing its spread can result in up to 21 years in prison, authorities said.

Legal actions can range "from cautions through to criminal charges," according to NSW police.

A car travels on a road through thick smoke from bush fires in Bemboka, in Australia's New South Wales state, Jan. 5, 2020.

A car travels on a road through thick smoke from bush fires in Bemboka, in Australia's New South Wales state, Jan. 5, 2020.Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images

At least 24 people have been killed and over 2,000 homes have been destroyed by the bushfires, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Monday. Over 12 million acres have burned in Australia since the start of the fire season.

New South Wales, in the southeastern part of the country, has been particularly hard hit by fires this season. The state includes the capital of Sydney, Australia's largest city, as well as Newcastle, Maitland, Central City and Wollongong. It is the country's most populous state.

The University of Sydney estimated 480 million animals have perished in Australia's fires in New South Wales alone.

"The fires have also been devastating for Australia’s wildlife and wild places, as vital areas of bush, forests and parks have been scorched and many millions of animals killed or injured," Dr. Stuart Blanch, senior manager land clearing and restoration with World Wildlife Fund-Australia, told ABC News. "Until the fires subside the full extent of damage will remain unknown."

An RFS Crew attempts to put out a smoldering pile of railway sleepers. The sleepers measured over 600 degrees on a thermal temperature gauge two days after the fire front had passed through on Jan. 6, 2020 in Wingello, Australia.

An RFS Crew attempts to put out a smoldering pile of railway sleepers. The sleepers measured over 600 degrees on a thermal temperature gauge two days after the fire front had passed through on Jan. 6, 2020 in Wingello, Australia.Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

The Insurance Council of Australia said Tuesday local time the estimated damage bill with insurance claims has reached $485 million U.S., while Morrison said Monday that the government was committing an extra $1.4 billion U.S. toward the recovery effort. Tens of millions had already been promised to the cause.

The fires have received worldwide attention in recent weeks, with many politicians and celebrities rallying to the cause. Late Monday U.S. time, Australian actor Chris Hemsworth pledged $1 million to fight the wildfires. Celebrities such as singer Pink, Australian actress Nicole Kidman and musician husband Keith Urban have donated $500,000 each to the cause.

Many have also called attention to the affects of climate change and global warming for accelerating the spread of bushfires.

"Approaches that ignore the fact that the climate is changing and the odds that these kinds of hazards like wildfires, like heat waves, like heavy rainfall, like extreme storm surge flooding -- not acknowledging that these hazards are changing is a recipe for continuing to be exposed to these kinds of unprecedented conditions,” Noah Diffenbaugh, a climate researcher and earth system science professor at Stanford University, told ABC News.

ABC News' Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.

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2020-01-07 03:45:04Z
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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
52780530786337

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
CAIiEH02JgrZwU3Jg0CK1vQyIykqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowocv1CjCSptoCMPrTpgU

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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