World1 min(s) read
Published 11:09 03 Mar 2020 GMT
The New South Wales Royal Fire Service has officially announced that there are no active bushfires burning in the Australian state for the first time since July 2019.
In a post made on Twitter, the fire department wrote: "For the first time since early July 2019, there is currently no active bush or grass fires in #NSW. That’s more than 240 days of fire activity for the state. #nswfires #nswrfs. [sic]"
New South Wales declared a state of emergency over the devastating bushfires:
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In a later follow-up post, the fire service noted that the region can expect to see some significant rainfall in days to come, which will help revitalize the parched and ashen soil.
They tweeted: "This time the rain should fall where they need it most. The forecast from @BOM_NSW over the next 8 days has possibly falls up to 100mm in western #NSW. The smiles are slowly getting bigger. #NSWRFS. [sic]"
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However, although this news is a welcome relief to the beleaguered firefighters, it's clear that the impact of the fires on the local flora and fauna has been catastrophic, and it will be some time before the environment heals.
Furthermore, scientists have blamed the impact of climate change for causing these disastrous bushfires. Per British tabloid newspaper The Daily Mail, rising global temperatures have led to longer and drier summers, making the bushland even more vulnerable to conflagration.
This brave border collie was filmed saving a flock of sheep from the fire previously:
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Commenting on his findings, Australia Institute climate and energy program director Richie Merzian stated: "Temperatures which were considered a regular three-month summer in the 1950s now span from early-to-mid-November all the way to mid-March... Summers have grown longer even in recent years, with the last five years facing summers twice as long as their winters."
