Published 11:31 IST, January 13th 2020
Australia: Rainfall predicted in drought and bushfire affected areas
With wildfires still plaguing Australia, the bureau of meteorology predicted that the following week may bring rainfall to drought and fire-affected areas.
With massive wildfires still plaguing Australia, the bureau of meteorology (BOM) predicted that the following week may bring rainfall to drought and fire-affected areas in the country. According to reports, the east coast of the country is expected to receive a 100mm of rainfall. A meteorologist working with the bureau of meteorology, Gabrielle Woodhouse said that the downpours may happen for a couple of days, adding that the rainfall is a much-needed relief with a few risks associated with it.
Woodhouse said that the damage due to wildfires has made the land quite vulnerable to different issues. He said that a lot of vegetation had been destroyed with an added risk of landslides. The New South Wales Rural fire service (NSWRFS) wrote on social media platform Facebook that if the prediction turned out to be true then it will be their Christmas, birthday, wedding and anniversary all rolled into one.
'Bushfires can cause erosion of soil'
Australian government's water quality page states that bushfires with a high damage level can cause damage to water catchments on a massive level by destroying ground cover. The page also states that high-intensity bushfires can cause a change in the structure and erosion of soil etc. According to reports, loss of huge amounts of vegetation can lead to high volumes of sediment entering water streams.
According to reports, chemical reactions caused by bushfires can release toxic materials present in vegetations. In addition to this, rainfall can wash these harmful contents into water streams that may be unsafe for agricultural purposes or consumption by human beings without proper treatment.
Operation Rock Wallaby
The ongoing bushfires in Australia have left thousands of animals hungry and stranded in their habitats. To combat the situation and bring relief to the animals, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service recently kickstarted 'Operation Rock Wallaby' under which the staff of the national parks used helicopters to airdrop kilograms of carrots and sweet potatoes for the brush-tailed rock wallabies.
Matt Kean, New South Wales minister of Energy and Environment took to Twitter to share a picture of people airdropping food for the constantly declining animal population. Kean also said that while animals managed to flee the fires they wer left without proper sources of food. He added that the wallabies were already under stress from the ongoing drought, making survival challenging for them. Talking about the operation, Keane also revealed they will be keeping an eye on the native species to check on their progress as part of the post-bushfire recovery process.
(With inputs from agencies)
Updated 11:31 IST, January 13th 2020