Australia Fires: Devastating Satellite Photos Show Smoke Cloud Bigger Than USA Extends to Chile
By Elias Marat
New images from space depicting the extent of Australia’s bushfire crisis have shown the frightful scale of the catastrophe facing not only the country but the entire world.
Over the weekend, incredible satellite photos published by Maxar Technologies and shared by news agencies showed the wildfires raging in different parts of the island continent.
The images were a combination of natural-colored satellite photos and shortwave infrared images looking through the thick smoke and capturing the eerie glow of the fires from space.
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Infrared pictures taken from space, as Australia burns.What have we done to our planet?How many more disasters will it take for govts&citizens to make that change?Let’s make 2020 the year to do our bit and give back2 Mother land. Rain for this to end pic.twitter.com/U8Wn1fEArw
— Anvesh Reddy (@yoursAnvesh) January 6, 2020
In other satellite images, huge plumes of smoke from the bushfire can be seen moving from New Zealand and making its way across the Pacific and into the South American country of Chile.
[Satelite] Asà ha sido el traslado del humo desde #Australia a #Chile cubriendo el cielo desde #Coquimbo al sur. 🔥🌫 pic.twitter.com/U5P3Y1yua3
— Meteo La Serena (@MeteoLaSerena) January 6, 2020
The presence of smoke in South America is a result of westerly winds from the southeast pushing the massive plumes from New Zealand all the way across the Pacific Ocean, according to news.com.au.
The development comes as NASA and NOAA images show that the smoke has created a cloud bigger than the area of the mainland United States.
Esta foto que publicó @SanGasso muestra el Humo de los incendios de #Australia que está ya siendo visible en gran parte de #Chile y lo que se está apreciando también en #LaSerena con el cielo “celeste grisáceo” de hoy. ⚠️ https://t.co/IW7u5Zu4cS pic.twitter.com/bmrJl1qg4k
— Meteo La Serena (@MeteoLaSerena) January 6, 2020
Over 200 fires continue to burn across the country, with upwards of 12.35 million acres being devastated in the blaze. Some 1,500 homes have been lost since the crisis broke out in September, while at least 24 people have been killed and dozens remain missing.
https://t.co/OuF2sA3OqT
One smoke cloud on the east coast is bigger than the continental United States.Smoke has traveled to South America in one week, a distance of 12,000 kilometers. pic.twitter.com/kxqvTQsJUg
— Kitty Bhagat 🌹 (@KittyBhagat) January 6, 2020
Rain showers fell Sunday and early Monday across the country’s South Coast, which has been a flashpoint of the fires. Residents of Sydney broke out into spontaneous cheers as the sooty rain fell, while enthusiastic social media users shared video of the downpour.
However, officials warn that the rain and temporary drop in temperatures won’t be capable of putting out the worst blazes before conditions worsen again and temperatures rise later by Thursday, news.com.au reports.
finally a little bit of rain in sydney, and people are cheering 🙏🏻#AustralianBushfire pic.twitter.com/xx9vflDZqM
— Ariana (@arianapez) January 6, 2020
On Monday, New South Wales (NSW) state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said:
“There is no room for complacency.Â
This morning it is all about recovery, making sure people who have been displaced have somewhere safe.”
However, New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons greeted the changed conditions as a “welcome reprieve,” according to the Daily Express.
Wildfires in Australia, seen through @NASA–@NOAA‘s Suomi NPP satellite. These things are so hot, firefighters say they’re generating their own thunderstorms and lightning in places, similar to what you see with volcanic explosions. pic.twitter.com/J0nBB4iGjn
— Yudhanjaya Wijeratne 🌀 (@yudhanjaya) January 5, 2020
ABC reported that a break in emergency-level conditions gave authorities an opportunity to rescue many people and begin large-scale evacuation operations.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned on Sunday that the fires may burn for “months to go.” Military reservists have been called up by the thousands to assist in firefighting efforts.
Over half a billion wild animals are believed to have been killed by the flames. Entire rare and endangered species may have been wiped out. Over 30,000 koalas are feared to have died in the fires, transforming the beloved national mascot into a symbol of a national and global tragedy.
Morrison has faced fierce criticism for his government’s response—or lack thereof—to the climate crisis and a confused response to the bushfires. On Saturday, reports emerged of firefighters cursing the prime minister and saying that he should “get fucked” and resign.
By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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