Allocation of government bushfire recovery funds Australia 2020 by program
Australia’s Black summer
The 2019/2020 bushfire season was one of the worst to ever occur in Australia. Between October 2019 and February 2020, bush fires ravaged many parts of Australia. The bushfires were worsened by the extreme heat and drought conditions across the country. Additionally, many fires were either deliberately or accidently ignited by people. The effects were devasting on wildlife, people, property, and the environment.
What was the impact?
Due to habitat destruction, many wildlife lost their lives, with some experts estimating that over 1.5 billion animals were lost. A total of 34 people died, many through battling the fires. In New South Wales, thousands of properties were damaged or destroyed. Insurance claims had already reached 740 million Australian dollars in early January 2020. Air pollution from the smoke haze and particulate matter reached record levels in the eastern and southern states. Many Australians were affected in some way by the bush fires, with the extent of damage not yet fully assessed.