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During the protracted bushfire season in Australia since mid-2019, New South Wales was the most devastating, with 6 million hectares of forest and residential areas affected by more than 136 fires that raged for months. Last month, the latest fires in New South Wales were described as "terrifying, exhausting and worrying." Rob Rogers, Deputy Commissioner of the Local Fire Service, said it had been "a truly devastating bushfire season for both firefighters and the people who have suffered so much."
On March 2nd, the New South Wales Fire Service happily announced that all the fires had finally been extinguished: "Since the bushfires began in early July 2019, this is the first time all the fires have been extinguished. This is the result of over 240 days of concerted firefighting efforts across the state."
Besides the efforts of the authorities, firefighters, and residents, the fires were partially controlled thanks to torrential rains for several consecutive days. The rain helped extinguish more than 30 fires in a single day. However, the heavy rains also caused dangerous flooding and strong winds, resulting in significant damage to both people and property. Several towns had to be evacuated, and many schools were closed to ensure the safety of residents.
Since July 2019, Australia has been hit by devastating bushfires, killing at least 28 people, destroying around 3,000 homes, and affecting up to one billion animals. Authorities say many World Heritage sites have been ravaged, such as the Blue Mountains and the Gondwana rainforest in New South Wales and Queensland.
