Black Summer
Australia's most devastating bushfire season in living memory, what is now known as Black Summer, the first fire began in September 2019 and burned continuously around much of the coastal regions of the eastern states as well as in Western Australia, until most fires were extinguished by 4 March 2020. From Queensland right around to South Australia, the bushfires burnt through an estimated 46 million acres or 186,000 kilometres, destroying 2,779 homes, killing at least 34 people and most sadly of all more than 1 billion native animals!
The fires burnt through one of my favourite national parks, Crowdy Bay NP. The entire park burnt out in November 2019. As soon as it was possible to go inside the park again I drove the 4 hours to see for myself the impact on the park. Rains had come in January 2020 and some of the new growth lent a feeling of hope for the landscape's recovery.
The fires burnt through one of my favourite national parks, Crowdy Bay NP. The entire park burnt out in November 2019. As soon as it was possible to go inside the park again I drove the 4 hours to see for myself the impact on the park. Rains had come in January 2020 and some of the new growth lent a feeling of hope for the landscape's recovery.