At least 84 people are reported to have been killed by bush fires in Australia, the worst outbreak there since 1983.
Prime minister Kevin Rudd says, “Hell in all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria,” the scene of the worst fires.
Australia, until recently regarded by natives and outsiders as God’s own country, has been savaged by drought for the past few years. Now the fires, even though some suspect they were started deliberately, raise disturbing question marks about the viability of living at all in certain over-heated parts of the massive country.
In this respect it’s a bit like southern California, also routinely the scene of hugely destructive and dangerous bush fires.
Will the Australians have to up sticks and move from the likes of Melbourne and Sydney to Tasmania up in the north?
Rudd says this is another reminder of why the world needs to do something fast about global warming.
It might be a bit late for that.
4 Comments
Tasmania is south of Melbourne and Sydney. Plus nobody with half a brain would ever willingly move there. It is cold and isolated and rather boring.
Um… Tasmania’s actually in the South. You’re probably thinking of Queensland - half of which is currently flooded. Australia is a land of extremes, but you’ll notice that most of the people who were burned out are determined to return and build again.
i feel ever so for the people in aussie that are involved in the ossie fires. My love too you all.
Does your article on Australian fires really say that Tasmania is “up in the north”?
Tamania is the southern most state of Australia.
Please correct.