Australia

Bushfire Smoke Causes Player To Forfeit Her Qualifying Match For Australian Open

3:06pm January 14, 2020

by Brakkton Booker

Slovenia's Dalila Jakupovic was trying to make the first round of the tournament set to open next week. She had trouble breathing and later told reporters, "I was really scared that I would collapse."

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is seen here last week visiting Kangaroo Island, which was devastated by wildfires.

Australian Prime Minister To Launch Inquiry Into Handling Of Wildfires

3:27pm January 12, 2020

by Laurel Wamsley

"There are things that I could have handled on the ground much better," the PM said. Many have linked the deadly fires to climate change and blamed conservative Australian governments for inaction.

Tourists, wearing face masks due to heavy smoke, take a selfie at Sydney Harbour on Dec. 19, 2019. As news of Australia's wildfires spreads around the world, fewer tourists are arriving in the country.

World News

Australia's Massive Fires Threaten To Slow Decades-Long Economic Boom

8:52am January 12, 2020

by Jim Zarroli

Australia hasn't had a recession in nearly 30 years, an impressive track record for an industrialized county. But the fires threaten two pillars of the country's economy.

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Activists protest outside the Australian Embassy in London, accusing Australia's government of inadequately responding to the fires and an overall climate emergency.

Australia's Wildfires Spark Disinformation Battle As They Take A Tragic Toll

3:44pm January 10, 2020

by Bill Chappell

Researchers say bots and trolls blasted out hashtags such as #ArsonEmergency, in a campaign to steer the conversation about wildfires away from climate change and toward arson.

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Firefighters struggle to protect homes from the embers generated by bushfires near the town of Nowra in New South Wales, Australia.

Australian Fires Prompt Questions About Protecting Houses From Embers

4:21pm January 07, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

Massive Australian wildfires are sending embers high into the atmosphere. When they rain down, they can start new fires far from the original source, and some buildings are more flammable than others.

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Fire response crews monitor the blazes Thursday in East Gippsland, Australia, where deadly bushfires have destroyed properties and prompted warnings from local authorities.

Bushfires In Australia May Get Even Worse With 'Horrible Day' On Horizon

3:47pm January 02, 2020

by Colin Dwyer

Meteorologists are predicting "extreme" conditions for Saturday in New South Wales and Victoria, which have been wracked with deadly fires.

On December 31, 2019 firefighters struggled 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.

In Australia Wildfires, Scenes Of Smoke, Sparks And Chaos

1:53pm January 01, 2020

Fires are blazing across southeast Australia. Scenes of smoke, sparks and blazing red capture the destruction happening in towns around the country.

Wildfires burning across Australia's two most-populous states Tuesday trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed properties and caused fatalities.

World News

'Just Red, Everywhere': Australia Fire Traps Seaside Residents On Beach

8:37pm December 31, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

An out-of-control wildfire threatened exit routes from the town of Mallacoota, forcing residents to rush toward the water for safety as embers rained down from a red sky.

Australian authorities say the iconic Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks will go ahead, despite calls for them to be canceled for environmental concerns.

Threat Of Wildfires Not Enough To Cancel Sydney's New Year's Eve Fireworks

6:33pm December 29, 2019

by Gabriela Saldivia

Thousands have called for the iconic Sydney fireworks display to be canceled because of record heat and fire. Australian officials say they will go ahead unless conditions are declared catastrophic.

A swimmer jumps from a jetty in an effort to cool off in Adelaide, Australia, as the country experiences record temperatures.

World News

Australia Just Had Its Hottest Day On Record

3:33pm December 18, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

The scorching temperatures are happening during a destructive wildfire season and a brutal drought. The average maximum temperature across the country on Tuesday was 105.6 degrees Fahrenheit.