INFERNO WITHOUT BORDERS

Synopsis

The unprecedented bushfire crisis that struck Australia during the 2019-2020 summer sparked numerous controversies and its abnormality revealed underlying major issues with bush management and Australia’s part in contributing to global warming.

The nationwide disaster inflamed by years of drought, drier fuel, unusually high temperatures, and severe winds, was the worst in world history. 3,500 homes and thousands of other buildings were lost, Nearly three billion animals – mammals, reptiles, birds, and frogs – were killed or displaced by Australia's devastating 2019-20 bushfires. As many as 10,000 koalas — a third of New South Wales' total population — were estimated to have perished in the bushfire. With costs approaching $100 billion, the fires are Australia's costliest natural disaster. As the population is faced with devastating losses, a number of questions arise:

• Could more hazard prevention methods have been implemented in order to reduce the severity of natural disasters? If so, would these have been effective?
• Could it have been beneficial to reintroduce traditional fire management techniques stemming from Aboriginal cultures?
• By adopting these practices, could future generations look forward to an Australia of regenerated wildlife and healthy landscapes?

Experts in politics, ecology, and land management stress the importance of adjusting to the new reality of extreme weather conditions and most importantly adopting methods to reduce global warming. Can our past save our future?

View Website