Massive smoke rises from wildfires burning in East Gippsland, Victoria in Australia, Jan. 2, 2020.DELWP Gippland via AP | ABC

Since September 2019, at least 27 million acres of Australia have burned in one of the country’s worst fire seasons on record. An area that is equivalent to more than 14 times what burned in California in 2018, the state’s most destructive year for wildfires.

The fires have now killed at least 29 people and destroyed some 2,500 homes. The effects of the area’s destruction on the area’s biodiversity is something we might not truly understand for quite some time. With an estimated 1.25 billion native animals lost, scientists predict long-term damage to many sensitive ecosystems coupled with the threat of species extinction, such as the mountain lizards, leaf-tailed geckos, and pear-shaped frogs, after fierce bushfires razed large areas of their habitats.

Thankfully, Melbourne was hit with a month’s worth of rain in one day, and although firefighters have taken advantage of the rain and milder temperatures to help contain the blazes, many are still blazing on.

With forced evacuations, and weather conditions still favoring fire in many parts of the country, the battle is far from over. The fires are a disaster that’s particularly ominous in today's climate. With a warming world, extreme fire events like this one are more and more likely.

Here at F10, a portion of the proceeds collected from the sales of Birba’s Piece o’ The Pie charity pizza and Cheeky’s Straus Yogurt fro-yo will be given to the Australian Bushfire Relief campaign created by Ellen DeGeneres.

1) 2 Key Factors: Climate Change + Weather Variability

The severity of the widespread fires is a symptom of global warming coupled with some specific variances in the region’s weather patterns this year. There’s no doubt that this summer’s high temperatures and subsequent fires in Australia are linked to climate change, with long-term warming trends increasing the severity of these events. Australia was already facing a severe drought, spurred by three winters in a row with little precipitation and even less moisture evaporating in the heat, a phenomenon that usually has a cooling effect over the country. The combination of drought, record-breaking heatwaves, a later than usual monsoon season, and an unusual shift in wind patterns, brought drier conditions to the area, resulting in a dangerous environment for this kind of disaster.

A dehydrated and injured koala receives treatment at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital | Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images | The Weather Channel

2) Millions of plants and animals are in danger

Australia is one of 17 countries considered to be “megadiverse” in biological terms. From the mammals, to the marsupials, insects and beyond - the interconnectedness of the Australian ecosystem is under threat. Approximately 244 species of mammals are found only in Australia. Even before the fires, the area’s environment and animals were threatened due to climate change, invasive species, and habitat destruction, according to Australia’s science research agency, CSIRO. But now, ecologists are fearing severe ecological consequences from so much land being burnt at once. It’s hard to really estimate the number of animals that have been killed but figures have been put around 1.25 billion - the ecological impact of the fires will continue long after they’ve been put out and many of the surviving animals will likely die from lack of water, food, and shelter.

3) Smoke Particles–Lot’s of them

Where there is fire, there’s smoke - and in this case, lots of it. There are numerous environmental hazards from the amount of smoke caused by the wildfires. The giant smoke cloud is so plentiful that NOAA reported it’s “in the process of circumnavigating the planet,” showing up over South America after being pushed through wind patterns. The biggest hazard in the smoke is the microscopic particles contained within it. These irritating air pollutants exacerbate heart problems and respiratory illnesses and are tiny enough to get stuck in the nooks and crannies of the lungs, eventually entering the bloodstream, explains the US Environmental Protection Agency. It’s something to be mindful of and keep a close eye on regardless of where you are geographically, especially if you have one of these conditions already.

Stranded families are evacuated during the Australian wildfires - Fairfax Media + Getty Images

4) Unfortunately, the disaster doesn’t end when the fires go out

With the destruction of over 2,500 homes, some communities being isolated with the interruption of power, fuel, and food supplies - it will take a long time before the nation gets back on its feet. Beyond the ecological and economic destruction of the wildfires, Australians face another risk to their well being. As always in a natural disaster, mental health is a concern - the extreme stress of losing homes, livelihoods, pets, and property can be difficult to cope with for many. Studies find a 5 percent to 15 percent increase in the incidence of mental health problems among disaster survivors.

Plant life, animals, and rivers will continue to suffer as well. When rain does come it will wash debris from the fire into freshwater sources, polluting both aquatic life and water supplies.

5) There are ways you can help!

No matter where you are located, below are a few ways you can help:

If you’re in Australia, Givit has a list of specific items needed by people and organizations affected by the bushfires.
People with emergency response training can sign up to volunteer in Queensland.
The World Wildlife Fund is collecting donations to restore habitats for koalas impacted by the fires.
Australian Red Cross’s fire recovery and relief fund
Donate to WIRES whose mission is to actively rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife
Direct Donations: the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, the Country Fire Service Foundation in South Australia, and the Country Fire Authority in Victoria.