Environmental Science Essay: Australian Wildfires' Consequences

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the devastating Australian wildfires, particularly the 2019-2020 fire season. It details the massive destruction of land, including forests, grasslands, and agricultural areas, and the significant loss of human and animal life, including the tragic death of numerous koalas. The essay explores the immediate consequences, such as physical destruction and economic losses in sectors like farming and tourism, along with the health impacts of air pollution, including respiratory issues and premature death. It also examines the broader environmental effects, such as the contribution to climate change through carbon emissions and the pollution of water resources. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for preparedness and preventative measures to mitigate the impact of future wildfires, recognizing that while natural occurrences are inevitable, deliberate actions should be curbed to prevent future disasters.

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Introduction
Australian wildfires have been one of the major perils that have been faced by humans
and animals for a long period of time. In the 2019-2020 fire seasons, it became a worldwide
concern since more than 20 million hectares of land were razed, something that has never been
witnessed before, or anywhere else in the world. According to CNN reports in January 2020, the
fires burned as much as twice land being the Amazon and California world fires combined.
These fires have very serious consequences to life both in the short term and in the long run
( Sharples et.al 2016). The fires were named to be a humanitarian, environmental and health
emergency for the damage it caused to human and animal life including death of 27 people and
almost one billion animals.
Ramifications
The immediate consequence of the fires was the physical destruction of 18 million
hectares of land which includes the forest land, grasslands and the agricultural land. It was also
reported that approximately 5900 buildings were razed down which included 2800 homes. This
has seen a loss of livelihood especially due to the loss of agricultural land and town centers
which the residents of Australia especially in New South Wales. It was also reported that
approximately 8,400 koalas perished in the fire and in South Australia’s Kangaroo Island lost
approximately 50% of the koala population (Hayward et.al 2016). This affected the whole
biodiversity considering also other animals and insects perished.
Intense smoke rising from the burning land was experienced in major cities especially in
Sydney which was covered by the smoke for several weeks. The smoke produces fine particles
of air pollution which contains hazardous gases which majorly affects the eyes and the

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respiratory system. This can also cause more intense disorders which include the reduced lungs
activities, asthma, bronchitis and premature death especially of the elderly, children and people
with pre-existing conditions (Walter, Schneider‐Futschik, Knibbs & Irving 2020).
Smoke from bushfires often travel great distances and they also penetrates into the
stratosphere. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the smoke from the
Australian fires glided across the Pacific and may have reached the Antarctic. It was also
reported that the fire was raining the soot on the New Zealand’s glaciers and this may speed up
its melting. Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand to be specific was the most affected by the fires.
It appeared to be caramelized for the snow was darkened by the soot. Snow has a high albedo
and always reflects light at a high rate, however if the color of the snow is dark, the lower the
albedo will dip and the glacier shall absorb more heat which hastens the melting (Neale 208).
It is very clear with from this kind of destruction; the economy is greatly affected by
these fires. The most affected sectors are farming and tourism. This has also seen some
businesses and institutions close down during this period due to excessive air pollution.
Though most people may argue that the Australian world fires have been caused by
climate change, it is clear that the fires have also added to the same. Up until the last fire season,
it was believed that the Australian forest takes in the carbon dioxide released from other fires in
the country. According to the Copernicus monitoring programme, Australia released 400
megatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in just three months’ time. This has increased
the yearly carbon emissions which are contributing to global warming and this has intensified the
likelihood of these fires recurring in the future which consequently release more emissions.
(Colvin,Crimp, Lewis, & Howden 2020).

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Environmental pollution was also heightened by the fires because the ash that
accumulated on the ground is being washed by the rain waters into the beaches, to the fresh
water storages and water catchment areas. Clean water catchment areas are forested areas and are
very exposed to these bushfires which produces nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients which causes
eutrophication. This causes excessive growth of algae which cause various water quality
challenges, including bad taste and smell and sometimes toxic chemicals are present in the water.
When these nutrients get into the ocean, they cause the growth of algae which is known to absorb
the dissolved oxygen and this causes fish and other marine life to suffocate. (Bhuiyan,Jayasuriya
& Schneider 2016).
Conclusion
It is evident that the Australian wild fires have caused a massive damage not only in the
country but globally. Though these fires start naturally from lightening sparks, the fires that are
started deliberately should be stopped at all costs in order to curb these damages, trauma and
emotional stresses in the future. Naturally the fires may not be completely prevented but
adequate preparedness is crucial in order to curb this menace.

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References
Sharples, J. J., Cary, G. J., Fox-Hughes, P., Mooney, S., Evans, J. P., Fletcher, M. S., ... & Baker,
P. (2016). Natural hazards in Australia: extreme bushfire. Climatic Change, 139(1), 85-
99.
Hayward, M. W., Ward‐Fear, G., L'Hotellier, F., Herman, K., Kabat, A. P., & Gibbons, J. P.
(2016). Could biodiversity loss have increased Australia's bushfire threat?. Animal
Conservation, 19(6), 490-497.
Walter, C. M., Schneider‐Futschik, E. K., Knibbs, L. D., & Irving, L. B. (2020). Health impacts
of bushfire smoke exposure in Australia. Respirology.
Neale, T. (2018). Digging for fire: Finding control on the Australian continent. Journal of
Contemporary Archaeology, 5(1), 79-90.
Colvin, R., Crimp, S., Lewis, S., & Howden, M. (2020). Implications of Climate Change for
Future Disasters. In Natural Hazards and Disaster Justice (pp. 25-48). Palgrave
Macmillan, Singapore.
Bhuiyan, M. A., Jayasuriya, N., & Schneider, M. J. (2016). Bushfires and its implication on
water supplies in Victoria, Australia. International Journal of Civil Engineering and
Architecture, 2(1), 1-11.