By Kelly Sanchez

Australia has been enduring a hellish fire season since August 2019.

Over 14.6 million acres have been affected by these fires—which is over two times more than what Brazil suffered with the 2019 Amazon Rainforest Fires.

At least 25 people have been killed as a result, and almost 2,000 homes have been destroyed. Its wildlife is in extreme danger, with an estimated one billion animals dead because of these fires—their habitats completely destroyed.

The country’s fires have too unleashed a smoke haze that has turned the skies dark, gloomy, and orange. The whole scenario seems like a picture brought up from hell.

At the moment, Australia is hell on Earth.

On January 6, rain poured in Sydney, Australia, giving residents hope. However, it had barely, if any, impact on the fires.

Not even something like rain is giving hope to Australians.

But firefighters as well as residents are now working on helping reverse the damage and help the animals that were affected by the fires.

The animals who are surviving are severely injured, their paws are burned and they have been separated from their families; they are alone and scared.

Australians, as well as those around the world supporting the cause, are helping to care for the surviving animals, which are innocent, loving creatures that are now traumatized. Many kangaroos and koalas are paralyzed with fear because while they survived, they saw their entire families die, so now they are in need of love, affection, food, and water as many volunteers have noted in viral videos and social media posts.

A video was shared online by a man named Micah Lovegrove, sharing the reality of these animals and the need for volunteers and help. He was assessing the area where his uncle’s house once stood, and he and his family found a koala huddled beside a tree nearby the destroyed property. Lovegrove threw a towel over the animal and transferred it onto a car before searching for any other koalas that were in the surrounding blue gum plantations.

Before the fires, Lovegrove could’ve nether fathom to see a Koala so close to a house, out beyond the forest.

Many charities and fire groups are accepting donations, such as the NSW Rural Fire Service, QLD Fire and Rescue, SA Country Service Fire, VIC Country Fire Authority, Tasmania Fire Service, and Western Australia.

With these fires raging through parts of the country, the damage has also gone beyond the physical to affect the gubernatorial machinery of the country. The deadly fires have slowed tourism and commerce, and it is believed that a recession might soon plague the country, which has called itself “the lucky country” in the past for its vast resources and economic growth.

Australia has suffered a huge, tragic loss. And these events that have taken place in Australia have only shed light on the drastic effects of climate change, as many across the scientific community are arguing.

Extreme heat and dryness, which comes as the country and many parts of the world experienced the hottest year in record, played a major part in the devastating bushfire season. At the surface level, this temperatures have been a causation of the rising levels of greenhouse gases—another word, climate change.

Climate scientists have stated that these fires will only get worse as more greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere. This statement they have ben holding since 2017.

For now, the future of Australia and its wildlife is on a thin rope. Many American volunteers, more recently firefighters from California, are traveling to the country to help.

The international help seems to bring hope. And for a country that is experiencing hell on Earth, anything—even the promise of hope—helps.