Definitely, the elements are unleashed in Australia. In the eastern part of the country, dementia, the heaviest in ten years in places, has caused floods which, admittedly, can help control the fires that ravage the region, but sometimes make the work of firefighters difficult for their interventions.
Most of the fires in eastern Australia were extinguished on Saturday by thunderstorms, but other fires continue to rage in the south and south-east of the country, officials said.
Most of the eastern & north eastern parts of #NSW received rainfall. Some notable 24 hour totals to 9am this morning were at Clothiers Creek: 250mm, Tumbulgum: 243mm & Bilambil Heights: 212mm. For more details on rainfall received in your area visit: https://t.co/IAC6vtRncr pic.twitter.com/fgG5bRimMy
- Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) January 18, 2020There are still 75 fires against 100 a few days earlier, said the rural fire service of the State of New South Wales, the most populous of Australia and the hardest hit by the environmental crisis.
"Rain continues to fall over a number of burned areas," he added, adding that "favorable conditions" of rain and cooler temperatures helped contain the remaining flames.
In the north, severe thunderstorms erupted overnight Friday to Saturday over Queensland, resulting in flash floods and road closures. No casualties have been recorded.
The dog park today, has turned into a lake overnight 🌧🌧🦮🐕☔️ #raininaustralia #GoldCoast #Queensland #flood pic.twitter.com/LSAlWZFg7d
- Sandra Parfait🦋🇦🇺 (@SandraParfait) January 18, 202028 dead from fire
Out of control fires therefore continue to burn in the south of New South Wales and in the neighboring state of Victoria, but the weather services forecast heavy rain for Sunday and Monday, which gives hope for 'a control of these fires also.
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A fire continues in the Kangaroo Island National Park, a veritable sanctuary for exceptional flora and fauna. The flames have already killed a large part of the koalas, birds and marsupials endemic to this island located to the south, off Adelaide.
Australia's wildfires aren't just unprecedented — they're catastrophic. So much so they're creating their own weather. The fires are producing pyrocumulonimbus clouds, massive smoky thunderclouds that spark lightning without dropping water: https://t.co/jqNnGsfDlY pic.twitter.com/rLdTK8Cbwd
- WIRED (@WIRED) January 18, 2020Aggravated by global warming, this forest fire crisis, which has already killed 28 people, has been fueled by particularly hot and dry weather in recent months on the immense island continent.
They destroyed vast areas of virgin forest in eastern and southern Australia, wiped out cattle on farms and destroyed some 2,000 homes. Authorities, however, have warned that the crisis may worsen again, with Australia only in the middle of its summer.