Paige Hassen: JRN

The Australia bushfires are an international disaster that has taken the world by storm. With over 800 fires, the equivalent of 2,000,000 acres burned, and the death of over 1 billion animals, the bushfires that have only recently been declared contained on February 16th, are a disaster that will take a significant amount of time to recover from. The fires that started in June 2019 are known as one of the worst in history. There are 244 species of animals that are only found within Australia that have been put in danger during the bushfires. Koalas in particular were hit hard by the spread of the fires. They are slow moving animals who live in the trees, in which the trees have burned tremendously. No only did this cause the destruction of the Koalas habits, but the habitats of many other species as well. The smoke was another major affect on life in Australia. In Canberra, the capitol of the country, they recorded the highest level of air pollution in their history. Smoke was able to find a way into buildings and affected the way some machines work. In a few instances the smoke even stopped some MRI machines from working at all. Many news outlets, celebrities, and public figures and companies have spread the word about the tragedy of the bushfires. People all around the world have donated to the cause, for example donating to firefighters or animal companies. This international disaster is far from over and it will take the support of the whole world to make a difference.