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By Pema Levy | January 7, 2020
Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Mother Jones. It appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
Australia launched its largest military operation since World War II this weekend, not against a human enemy but to combat the bushfire crisis sweeping the country. Thus far, 23 people have died as 140 blazes have devoured more over 12 million acres.
To combat the fires, which are only expected to get worse as Australia endures high temperatures and windy conditions, the government is mobilizing 3,000 army reservists, aircraft, and naval ships to help evacuations and fight fires, the New York Times reported Saturday. “It is the first time that reserves have been called out in this way in living memory,” Defense Minister Linda Reynolds said. The conflagrations now and in the future are expected to worsen due to climate change.
Dalmeny Beach right now #NSWfires @9NewsSyd pic.twitter.com/FOH5uG9eFF
— Ruth Wynn-Williams (@RuthWW) January 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/QuentinWallace/status/1213539460559695872
Residents flee to a field in Batlow NSW as fire emergency continues. For updated warnings visit @NSWRFS #NSWfires pic.twitter.com/anBZ45T02G
— Daniel Shaw (@DanielShawAU) January 4, 2020
Batemans Bay residents are now evacuating to the beach, these are the scene captured a short time ago.
LIVE COVERAGE: https://t.co/7oP3HkcPse
LATEST RFS INFORMATION: https://t.co/OUj0yszjdF
📸 – Alistair Prior. #9News pic.twitter.com/jsfk1m8aRu
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) December 31, 2019
The bushfire crisis has given the Government a political 'out' to its climate change problem#ClimateChange #ClimateEmergency #BushfireEmergency #NSWbushfires #VicBushfires https://t.co/8Wmlq0EEGC
— Quentin Wallace (@QuentinWallace) January 6, 2020
BEGA: pic taken on iPhone using the ‘National Crisis’ filter… by that I mean no filter just so much smoke and ash that it’s dark as night at 11am @9NewsAUS #nswfires pic.twitter.com/X9WadWwGtV
— Ruth Wynn-Williams (@RuthWW) January 5, 2020
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Keywords: Australia, Carbon emissions, bushfire, climate change, wildfire
Topics: Climate Change