Published 20:31 IST, December 5th 2019
Intense fires ring Sydney, blanketing city in thick smoke
Sydney witnessed a thick layer of smoke blanket on December 5 after the firefighters battled with several fires that broke in the city, killing at least six
- World News
- 2 min read
A thick blanket of smoke covered Sydney on December 5 after the firefighters battled with several fires that broke out in the city. According to reports, the firefighters were fighting 140 fires across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland states, killing at least six people.The situation worsened with the bush fires.
Blanket of smoke around Sydney
All the severe fires ringed around Australia's capital with the strong winds making the blaze worse. According to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, it is a very difficult for the firefighters to control such large scale fires that are now impacting the citizens and communities residing in the city. It further added that the current weather conditions will make the smoke settle in several parts of Sydney.
Climate experts, on the other hand are condemning Prime Minister Scott Morrison for not taking appropriate measures to address the impact of climate change which they feel is inadvertently responsible for the rise in forest fires. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on November 21 had denied that his climate policies had caused unprecedented bushfires and insisted that his government was doing enough to tackle global warming. Dozens of new blazes have been raging in the countryside and even Sydney was covered in hazardous smoke. PM Morrison said that despite the air quality, the Australian government is 'doing their bit' after refusing for weeks to register the link between wildfires in the county and climate change.
The recent wildfires have destroyed more than 600 homes in the country's most populous state. Even though the annual Australian fire season normally peaks during the Southern Hemisphere summer, this year, they had started early after an unexpectedly warm and dry winter. Advisories have been issued for people with respiratory or heart conditions to stay indoors and seek medical advice when necessary.
Updated 12:43 IST, December 6th 2019
