We are already in the mid of January 2020 and are probably busy following all our new plans and targets that we set for this year. But, while we move ahead with time, there were certain incidents of 2019 that are engraved in our minds and are difficult to pull out. A darker, blazing and smoky picture of the world is the picture that clouds our minds. Yes, 2019 was the year when we experienced several wildfires that probably destroyed millions and millions of hectors of land across the world. Normally, small wildfires are very common in different parts of the world. But in 2019, there were very huge and devastating wildfires that took the lives of millions of wild animals and also caused tons of air pollution. Did you know there were more than 30 small and large wildfires were recorded by several organizations across the world? So, here is a brief look on the major wild fires that our dear planet experienced in 2019.
AUSTRALIA BUSH FIRES
Animals Killed – 1 billion animals
Area Affected – 12.35 million acres of land
Color of an angry orange, the sky in Australia is filled with smoke making it difficult for animals and humans to breathe. The bushfire that started in September 2019 has been continuing for months now, killing over a billion of wild animals that lived in the deep forests of the beautiful country.
With summer just setting in, there is a possibility that the conditions may become worst especially looking at the fact that the country already recorded its highest temperature in history of 107.4 degrees Fahrenheit. 2019’s bushfire has been the most destructive fires in the country since 1974.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE
Animals Killed – Unknown
Area Affected – 250,000 acres
Wildfires in California are very common! But the fire that began in 2019 was extremely devastating. The fire burnt down 250,000 acres of land and caused a damage of more than $80 billion. In order to avoid any more accidents and casualties, authorities cut down electricity for an entire week, leaving more than 3 million people in the dark.
RUSSIA WILDFIRE
Animals Killed – 11,800
Area Affected – 7.4 million acres
Siberia is one of the most wildfire prone countries in the world. In 2019, Siberia suffered one of the worst wildfires in its history. With more than 11,800 livestock destroyed and more than 645 people homeless, the wildfire greatly affected the lives of people in the country and also leading to excessive air pollution. It was believed that almost 300 mega tons of carbon di oxide was released only from the fire in Russia.
AMAZON WILDFIRE
Animals Killed – 2.3 Million
Area Affected – 310,000 acres
The deep forests of Amazon are literally the lungs of our planet. The amazon rainforests provide more than 20% of the world’s oxygen, helping balance the global oxygen amount in the air. But, when the forest caught fire in 2019, the world cried and prayed for the fires to calm down. However, many animals lost their lives and some species even became extinct due to the burning fires.
INDONESIA FORESTFIRE
Animals Killed – Unknown
Area Affected – 2.12 million acres
Every year, Indonesia suffers from a series of forest fires leaving the small country covered in smoky haze. However, when the fire was pulled under control, the sight in the deep forests left everyone shocked. Hundreds and thousands of huge pythons and other snakes were burnt alive. Orangutans living in the forests of Indonesia were found dead, while the ones who escaped suffered from respiratory tract infections caused due to the smoke.
