Bushfires Were 'worst Disaster'
Bushfires in Australia over the past year have caused the country's worst ever environmental disaster, a parliamentary inquiry heard yesterday. The smoke released during the southern summer was equivalent to a year's vehicle emissions, the inquiry heard. "This wasn't just...
Bushfires in Australia over the past year have caused the country's worst ever environmental disaster, a parliamentary inquiry heard yesterday.
The smoke released during the southern summer was equivalent to a year's vehicle emissions, the inquiry heard.
"This wasn't just another bushfire. This was the worst environmental disaster in the written history of this nation," said Kate Carnell, of the National Association of Forest Industries. Reviving the 3m hectares (7m acres) affected by the fires would use an eighth of the water in the Murray-Darling basin, Australia's biggest river system.
The total release of greenhouse gases was estimated at 130 megatonnes, or a fifth of all such emissions.
Bushfires are a natural part of Australia's ecosystem and some plants depend on them to germinate, but they have become more common as the suburbs have grown.
The smoke released during the southern summer was equivalent to a year's vehicle emissions, the inquiry heard.
"This wasn't just another bushfire. This was the worst environmental disaster in the written history of this nation," said Kate Carnell, of the National Association of Forest Industries. Reviving the 3m hectares (7m acres) affected by the fires would use an eighth of the water in the Murray-Darling basin, Australia's biggest river system.
The total release of greenhouse gases was estimated at 130 megatonnes, or a fifth of all such emissions.
Bushfires are a natural part of Australia's ecosystem and some plants depend on them to germinate, but they have become more common as the suburbs have grown.
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
- Wildfire Threat to Avocado Harvest 'exaggerated'
- Bush Tours Trail of Destruction From California's Wildfires
- 500,000 Forced to Flee California Wildfires Driven By Winds
- California Wildfires Trigger State of Emergency
- Hollywood Flees As Wildfires Sweep Coast of California
- Death Toll Mounts As Greek Wildfires Rage on
- Forest Fires in Indonesia Cloak Region in Haze
- Thousands of Tourists Evacuated As Forest Fires Ravage Resorts
- British Tourists Flee Greek Forest Fires
- Australia Battles Wildfires As New Year Brings Record Heatwave
- Arson Conspiracy Behind Spain Fires
- Fires Rage Across South-west Europe
- Portuguese Villages Evacuated After Forest Fires
- Huge Rise in Siberian Forest Fires Puts Planet at Risk, Scientists Warn
- War Call-up Cuts Us Ability to Fight Disasters
- Scouts Sued for $14m Over Forest Fire
- California Wildfires
- California Wildfires Compared to Hurricane Katrina Disaster
- Fire Officials Say Deadly California Wildfire Intentionally Set
- Wildfires: Pointing Fingers as the Fires Rage On