Throughout the entirety of 2020 a massive amount of world changing events occurred. Some of those events included the BLM protests, the election, Coronavirus, and even murder hornets. Another one of these events that I am going to write about are the bush fires that spread rapidly throughout Australia during the early months of 2020. 

The 2020 season of bushfires was by far the worst season ever recorded with the hottest and driest conditions. These fires were devastating, ravaging through hundreds of thousands of miles of homes, businesses, and forests. The cause of the fires were lightning strikes and human activity, either on purpose or by accident. What fueled these fires was most definitely the conditions in the environment.

As a result of these fires, over 46 million acres of land were burned throughout the continent. Also, 34 people tragically died from waiting too long to leave or getting trapped in their homes. Some more facts include, 1.3 billion dollars in insured claims for the damage done to the environment and well over 2.9 billion dollars in economic damage. Researchers studies show that 26% of businesses in Australia suffered some sort of negative impact because of the fires. Along with that, the overall tourism in Australia has now decreased significantly since the widespread fires have taken control of many areas. 

One of the most unsettling things about this,  is how many animals were injured or killed. It is estimated that over 1 billion animals were killed from the fires alongside 800,000 who were injured and in care. 

All together, the bushfires of 2020 really affected billions of plants, animals, and humans all within  a few months. Even now, a whole year later they are most definitely still recovering from these tragedies. But people all around the world pitched in to try to make a difference. Companies donated money, people donated money and volunteered themselves to help rebuild and replant the areas most affected.

Together maybe we can help restore the continent to  what it once was.