The Trails of Ashes

Trails of Ashes: Tragedy of Billions

Australia is currently experiencing the worst bushfire that it has ever experienced up to date. The situation is very disheartening —billions of animals perished, 10 million hectares of land turned to ashes, and what was once a thriving biodiversity is now evidently wrecked. What's also disturbing is that this is clearly a result of the worsening climate crisis that the world is experiencing right now.

Fires among the forests of Australia are actually very common, it even happens at least once a year and it is called the Fire Season which happens during the summer. What made this year's fire the worst one yet though was because there were a lot of factors involved. Firstly, there were 24 people accused of deliberately starting the said fires and at least 183 different people charged for fire related offenses. Secondly, Australia is currently experiencing the worst drought in decades, with record breaking temperatures which has largely contributed to the quick escalation of the fires. And lastly, the winds weren't kind to the situation since it has been very strong during that time which made the fires and smoke spread at a faster rate. All of these factors combined was clearly a recipe for disaster.

The Australia bushfires is a wake up call to humanity —climate change is no joke. It is no longer just a lesson being taught to us in school or something you hear about in the TV,  it is here now and its making sure that we feel its presence. Given these circumstances, it is disappointing to see that world leaders still is not united in making the fight against climate change its priority but that doesn't mean that we can't help in our own little ways. Practice sustainability, reduce usage of single use plastics, use energy wisely, green your commute, start a climate conversation and get politically active to be able to choose leaders who are willing to combat climate change. We only have one home planet, and if we don't act now, we might lose it for good.