It looks apocalyptic down there. Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes in the state of Western Australia this week, as forest fires ravaged an area near the city of Perth, just as the city began a strict blockade due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials say the Wooroloo fire, which is 80 kilometers long, doubled in size overnight and has almost destroyed 20,000 acres. More than 70 houses were lost since the fire started on Monday night, including 80% of all properties in a rural area.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister of Western Australia, Mark McGowan said the state was in an “unprecedented situation”.
“We are fighting disasters on two fronts: the devastating forest fires and the Covid-19 pandemic,” said McGowan.
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The city and parts of Western Australia were already under a rigid five-day block after security at a hotel used as a quarantine in Perth positive test for coronavirus Monday. This may seem like an exaggeration for just one case, but these types of aggressive measures kept Australia’s total deaths during the pandemic in less than 1,000.
Quarantine in Australia’s fourth largest city was scheduled to suspend on Friday, but officials told residents that evacuation and personal safety orders during the fire overruled any government pandemic blocking orders. The US dealt with a similar situation last year (without the blocking things) as forest fires devastated the west, forcing widespread evacuations, even as the pandemic spread. Fortunately, Australia’s pandemic is more in control, but evacuations can upset the delicate balance the country has achieved.
“Let me be clear: I urge people to stay informed and prepare,” Western Australia Police Commissioner Chris Dawson told residents on Wednesday. “If you are under threat, leave your property and go to suitable facilities. Do not stay on the property if you think you have to obey the covid-19 rules. “
It is summer in Australia, and the forest fire season becomes increasingly destructive as the planet warms up. Devastating fires last year killed at least 34 people and burned 48 million acres. Scientists estimate that a jaw-dropping 3 billion animals also died or were displaced, pushing 113 species into the edge of extinction.
Last year was the country fourth hottest year on record, Australia’s meteorological agency said last month. For Western Australia, the ranking was even higher, with the state experiencing its second hottest year. Lesley Hughes, a member of Australia’s Climate Council and forest fire expert, said in a declaration that “in the past few months, the southwest has received very little rain compared to the rest of the country. This is part of a long-term drying trend, with winter precipitation falling 20 percent since the 1970s. ”
This aligns with the growing dire situation not only for the state, but across Australia. A report released last year showed that climate change exacerbated the hot and dry conditions that led to the intense forest fire season by up to 30%. Rising temperatures will only make the landscape more flammable.