This picture taken on January 6, 2020 shows charred vehicles gutted by bushfires in Mogo Village in Australia’s New South Wales state. – Firefighters were racing to contain massive bushfires across southeastern Australia Tuesday amid easing conditions as another heatwave loomed, as officials said the damage bill for the months-long crisis had risen to almost half a billion dollars. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)
“¡Váyase ya mismo!” Las autoridades australianas, al igual que la semana pasada, instan a algunos habitantes a evacuar al acercarse una ola de calor que podría atizar aún más los dramáticos incendios forestales que asolan vastas zonas en el sur y el este del país.
El gobierno de Victoria, entre otras cosas, pidió a algunas poblaciones del este que abandonen sus hogares antes del aumento de las temperaturas el miércoles, mientras que en Australia meridional, muchos habitantes de pequeñas aldeas de la Isla Canguro, al sur de Adelaida, fueron llevados a un lugar seguro.
“¡Váyanse! ¡Váyanse ya!”, declaró la ministra de la Policía de Victoria, Lisa Neville, dirigiéndose a la población de las zonas de riesgo. “Todas las advertencias que hemos lanzado tienen un solo propósito, salvar vidas”.
Australia se enfrenta cada primavera a incendios forestales, pero este año han sido mucho más tempranos y virulentos, debido, entre otras cosas, a condiciones más favorables a las llamas provocadas por el calentamiento global.
Las autoridades confirmaron el miércoles la muerte de un cuarto bombero, elevando a 26 el número de víctimas fatales desde el comienzo de la crisis en septiembre.
-¿Mil millones de animales muertos?-
Más de 2.000 casas quedaron reducidas a cenizas y alrededor de 80.000 km2 se incendiaron en todo el país, una superficie equivalente a Irlanda.
Investigadores de la Universidad de Sidney han calculado que 1.000 millones de animales muerieron en los incendios en todo el país. Esta cifra incluye mamíferos, aves y reptiles, pero no insectos o invertebrados. La semana pasada, la misma universidad estimó que 480 millones de animales murieron desde septiembre solamente en el estado de Nueva Gales del Sur.
Los humos emitidos se detectaron hasta Argentina y Brasil, a más de 12.000 km del otro lado del Pacífico, según las agencias meteorológicas de estos países.
A pesar de un tiempo más frío y de las precipitaciones en algunas partes del este de Australia, decenas de incendios siguen fuera de control, mientras se espera una nueva ola de calor.
2019 ha sido el año más caluroso y seco desde el inicio de las mediciones. El 18 de diciembre fue el día más caluroso de la historia, con una media nacional de temperaturas máximas de 41,9°C.
Sin precedentes en su magnitud, incluso en una isla continental acostumbrada a los incendios, esta crisis marca considerablemente la opinión internacional. Atletas y celebridades se movilizan para ayudar a Australia, mientras que muchos gobiernos ofrecen su ayuda.
Es probable que la crisis continúe durante varias semanas más, y no se sabe cuál será el costo financiero. Sin embargo, el consejo de seguros de Australia anunció que las solicitudes de indemnización recibidas por las compañías ya ascendían a 700 millones de dólares australianos (433 millones de euros).
Criticado por la lentitud de su respuesta desde el comienzo de la crisis, pero también por su deficiente historial en la lucha contra el calentamiento global, el primer ministro conservador Scott Morrison se comprometió en aportar, a lo largo de dos años, dos mil millones de dólares australianos (1.200 millones de euros) de ingresos fiscales a un fondo nacional de ayuda a las víctimas de los incendios.
Firefighters tackle a a bushfire south of Nowra on January 5, 2020. – Australians on January 5 counted the cost from a day of catastrophic bushfires that caused «extensive damage» across swathes of the country and took the death toll from the long-running crisis to 24. (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP)A firefighter tackles a bushfire south of Nowra on January 5, 2020. – Australians on January 5 counted the cost from a day of catastrophic bushfires that caused «extensive damage» across swathes of the country and took the death toll from the long-running crisis to 24. (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP)Residents commute on a road through thick smoke from bushfires in Bemboka, in Australia’s New South Wales state on January 5, 2020. – Australians on January 5 counted the cost from a day of catastrophic bushfires that caused «extensive damage» across swathes of the country and took the death toll from the long-running crisis to 24. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)A man watches as smoke raises to the sky as a woodchip mill burns in Eden, in Australia’s New South Wales state on January 6, 2020. – January 5 brought milder conditions, including some rainfall in New South Wales and neighbouring Victoria state, but some communities were still under threat from out-of-control blazes, particularly in and around the town of Eden in New South Wales near the Victorian border. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)A military helicopter flies above a burning woodchip mill in Eden, in Australia’s New South Wales state on January 6, 2020. – January 5 brought milder conditions, including some rainfall in New South Wales and neighbouring Victoria state, but some communities were still under threat from out-of-control blazes, particularly in and around the town of Eden in New South Wales near the Victorian border. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)A helicopter drops water on a bushfire outside of Batemans Bay in New South Wales on January 2, 2020. – Australia authorised the forced evacuation of residents on January 2 amid a mass exodus of tourists from fire-ravaged coastal communities, as the country braces for a weekend heatwave expected to fan deadly bushfires. (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP)Firefighters tackle a bushfire near Batemans Bay in New South Wales on January 3, 2020. – With temperatures expected to rise well above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) again on January 4, a state of emergency has been declared across much of Australia’s heavily populated southeast in an unprecedented months-long bushfire crisis. (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP)Ember and thick smoke from bushfires reach Braemar Bay in New South Wales on January 4, 2020. – Up to 3,000 military reservists were called up to tackle Australia’s relentless bushfire crisis on January 4, as tens of thousands of residents fled their homes amid catastrophic conditions. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)A kangaroo sits in a field amidst smoke from a bushfire in Snowy Valley on the outskirts of Cooma on January 4, 2020. – Up to 3,000 military reservists were called up to tackle Australia’s relentless bushfire crisis on January 4, as tens of thousands of residents fled their homes amid catastrophic conditions. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)A kangaroo jumps in a field amidst smoke from a bushfire in Snowy Valley on the outskirts of Cooma on January 4, 2020. – Up to 3,000 military reservists were called up to tackle Australia’s relentless bushfire crisis on January 4, as tens of thousands of residents fled their homes amid catastrophic conditions. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)This picture taken on December 31, 2019 shows a firefighter hosing down trees and flying embers in an effort to secure nearby houses from bushfires near the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales. – Fire-ravaged Australia has launched a major operation to reach thousands of people stranded in seaside towns after deadly bushfires ripped through popular tourist areas on New Year’s Eve. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)This picture taken on December 31, 2019 shows a firefighter hosing down trees and flying embers in an effort to secure nearby houses from bushfires near the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales. – Fire-ravaged Australia has launched a major operation to reach thousands of people stranded in seaside towns after deadly bushfires ripped through popular tourist areas on New Year’s Eve. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)This picture taken on December 31, 2019 shows a firefighter hosing down trees and flying embers in an effort to secure nearby houses from bushfires near the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales. – Fire-ravaged Australia has launched a major operation to reach thousands of people stranded in seaside towns after deadly bushfires ripped through popular tourist areas on New Year’s Eve. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)Tourists walk through dense smoke from bushfires in front of the Batemans Bay bridge as cars line up to leave the town in New South Wales to head north on January 2, 2020. – A major operation to move people stranded in fire-ravaged seaside towns was under way in Australia on January 2 after deadly bushfires ripped through popular tourist spots and rural areas leaving at least eight people dead. (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP)Cars line up to leave the town of Batemans Bay in New South Wales to head north on January 2, 2020. – A major operation to move people stranded in fire-ravaged seaside towns was under way in Australia on January 2 after deadly bushfires ripped through popular tourist spots and rural areas leaving at least eight people dead. (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP)Foto del miércoles del aborigen local Anthony Thomas en la casa de su tío arrasada por los incendios en Kiah, Australia. Ene 8, 2020. REUTERS/Tracey NearmyFoto del miércoles de un perro recorriendo la propiedad quemada de su familia en Kia, Australia. Ene 8, 2020. REUTERS/Tracey NearmyThis picture taken on December 31, 2019 shows firefighters struggling against the strong wind in an effort to secure nearby houses from bushfires near the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)This picture taken on December 31, 2019 shows smoke and flames rising from burning trees as bushfires hit the area around the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales. – Fire-ravaged Australia has launched a major operation to reach thousands of people stranded in seaside towns after deadly bushfires ripped through popular tourist areas on New Year’s Eve. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)This picture taken on December 31, 2019 shows a horse trying to move away from nearby bushfires at a residential property near the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales. – Fire-ravaged Australia has launched a major operation to reach thousands of people stranded in seaside towns after deadly bushfires ripped through popular tourist areas on New Year’s Eve. (Photo by SAEED KHAN / AFP)
