The Australian State of New South Wales Fire department has declared the whole of the state free of bushfires after enduring 240 days of “very traumatic, exhausting and anxious” black summer fire season.
“For the first time since early July 2019, there is currently no active bush or grass fires in #NSW. That’s more than 240 days of fire activity for the state,” The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) reported on Twitter.
For the first time since early July 2019, there is currently no active bush or grass fires in #NSW. That’s more than 240 days of fire activity for the state. #nswfires #nswrfs pic.twitter.com/NpjF3lAHKa
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) March 2, 2020
The wildfire season, which was probably the most intense in the state’s history, started in July and raged for about 240 days, killing at least 28 people, incinerated 3000 homes and affected up to a billion people according to estimations, CNN reported.
The firefighters were greatly helped by torrential rain unleashed on the southeast fire grounds that continued for weeks. Some 30 wildfires were extinguished during the weekend of February 8 and 9. The Fire department called it the “most positive news we’ve had in some time.”
The wildfire season had a tremendous effect on the environment. The city of Sydney was shrouded in smoke so much so, that the air quality surpassed the hazardous level by 11 times.
World Heritage Areas like the Blue Mountains and the Gondwana rainforests in New South Wales and Queensland were also affected.
Last month, on February 13, NSW RFS had announced that all the state’s bushfires were contained after a “very traumatic, exhausting and anxious bush fire season.”
“After what’s been a truly devastating fire season for both firefighters and residents who’ve suffered through so much this season, all fires are now contained in New South Wales,” fire service’s deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said in a video message to Twitter.
The video text read, “For the first time this season all bush and grass fires in NSW are now contained. It has taken a lot of work by firefighters, emergency services, and communities to get to this point.”
By then, only some smaller fires are still persevering in the far south of the state, but all fires are contained, Rogers said. The RFS could finally concentrate on helping people build up their lives again.
All states in Australia suffered from the wildfires, but New South Wales was hit the hardest. Meteorologists blame the record-breaking wildfire season on prolonged intense heat combined with drought and strong drying winds.
