Post by Andrei Tchentchik on Mar 2, 2020 18:16:55 GMT 2
(.#A.053).- The rain finally falls on the fires in Australia. 15 Jan. 2020.
The rain finally falls on the fires in Australia.
Photo: Rick Rycroft Associated Press.
Since the devastating fires started in September, an area larger than the size of South Korea has gone up in smoke.
Agence France-Presse in Sydney
January 15, 2020
Rain fell on parts of Australia affected by the massive fires that have been raging since September, including improving air quality on Thursday.
"Good rains" of rain took place Thursday morning in the state of New South Wales (southeast of Australia), where the most important blaze is located, said the local meteorological office .
In neighboring Victoria, thunderstorms that erupted Wednesday evening helped dispel the cloud of toxic fumes from the fires that had been suffocating Melbourne since the start of the week and that disrupted the Tennis Open.
"Thunderstorms have improved air quality in most of the state," said the Victoria State Environmental Protection Agency.
The weather services forecast further precipitation by the weekend. If confirmed, this would be the longest rainy period since the fire crisis started last September.
These rains will be "our Christmas, birthday, engagement, anniversary, wedding, graduation gifts combined." We keep our fingers crossed, ”said the New South Wales rural fire service earlier this week.
Since the devastating fires started in September, at least 28 people have died, about 1 billion animals may have died, more than 2,000 homes have been destroyed and an area of 100,000 square kilometers (10 million hectares) - more large that the area of South Korea - went up in smoke.
Some 30 fires, however, remained out of control Thursday in New South Wales, according to the rural fire service.
Linked to a particularly severe drought in Australia, these fires are exacerbated by global warming, while scientists have long predicted that the recurrence of these extreme weather events will only get worse.
F I N .
The rain finally falls on the fires in Australia.
Photo: Rick Rycroft Associated Press.
Since the devastating fires started in September, an area larger than the size of South Korea has gone up in smoke.
Agence France-Presse in Sydney
January 15, 2020
Rain fell on parts of Australia affected by the massive fires that have been raging since September, including improving air quality on Thursday.
"Good rains" of rain took place Thursday morning in the state of New South Wales (southeast of Australia), where the most important blaze is located, said the local meteorological office .
In neighboring Victoria, thunderstorms that erupted Wednesday evening helped dispel the cloud of toxic fumes from the fires that had been suffocating Melbourne since the start of the week and that disrupted the Tennis Open.
"Thunderstorms have improved air quality in most of the state," said the Victoria State Environmental Protection Agency.
The weather services forecast further precipitation by the weekend. If confirmed, this would be the longest rainy period since the fire crisis started last September.
These rains will be "our Christmas, birthday, engagement, anniversary, wedding, graduation gifts combined." We keep our fingers crossed, ”said the New South Wales rural fire service earlier this week.
Since the devastating fires started in September, at least 28 people have died, about 1 billion animals may have died, more than 2,000 homes have been destroyed and an area of 100,000 square kilometers (10 million hectares) - more large that the area of South Korea - went up in smoke.
Some 30 fires, however, remained out of control Thursday in New South Wales, according to the rural fire service.
Linked to a particularly severe drought in Australia, these fires are exacerbated by global warming, while scientists have long predicted that the recurrence of these extreme weather events will only get worse.
F I N .
