Lightning Bolts Cause More Fire in Australian Crisis

An additional 16 areas in the East Gippsland, Australia, were set ablaze overnight as it got hit by a lightning bolt.

The Guardian, through Helen Davidson, reported that one of these, situated between Cann River and Mallacoota, has ravaged at an area of at least 24 kilometers within six hours. The plume was at least 14-kilometer high and it comes with its dry lightning.

The message today if you are in Forests or Parks in East Gippsland time to Leave Now, the large fires in the landscapes will get much bigger tomorrow. Leave Now, it will be very very dangerous to be in the bush today or tomorrow. Leave Now! @EMV_news @DELWP_Vic pic.twitter.com/4lYQUrXuaf - Chris Hardman (@FFMVic_Chief) December 29, 2019

Before these, the East Gippsland was still trying to contain at least 10 bushfires, some of which have been burning for more than three months already, The Guardian also reported. Ben Rankin, the incident control of Bairnsdale, warned about the impending danger the area would face due to the extreme fire. At least 30,000 people who chose to stay in the area for the holiday were threatened and asked to evacuate immediately. However, the warning has confused the holidaymakers, as some people were claiming the areas where they're staying is safe from the fire.

Currently holidaying in Lakes Entrance and getting mix messages on whether to evacuate or not. Got this text but the staff at our motel are saying it will be fine. Very confusing! #eastgippsland #bushfires pic.twitter.com/2kAtH7iLwB - Brooke Grebert-Craig (@brooke_gc) December 29, 2019

Some, on the other hand, believe that there will be no difference if they flee now because the traffic is jam-packed due to over 40,000 cars in the evacuation route.

Some roads like the Great Alpine and the Bonang were also shut down due to the fire, leaving Princes Highway as the only remaining major road to get out of the area.

Nearby areas like Tasmania has also issued evacuation orders.

The Hottest Crisis

The bushfire crisis in Australia has been going on since September. It has claimed at least five million hectares and nine lives, including the two respected firefighters who died in a vehicular mishap.

The most affected areas are the New South Wales, where at least 3.41m hectares were turned to ash, according to the Rural Fire Service. RFS spokeswoman Angela Burford described this crisis as an "unprecedented".

The sanctuary of the koala is also located in the same region. At least 1,000 of the marsupial species have died in the ablaze, prompting the conservationists to declare it as "functionally extinct" -- meaning, their population is so low that they barely have an impact on the ecosystem.

Queensland, Victoria and South Australia were also dealing with the fire.

There were no burning incidents were reported in the Australian capital Sydney. However, the city is blanketed with an intense smog that is at least 11 times above the hazardous level. Citizens compared the scenario of the once sunny and bright city to the 2006 horror film Silent Hill.

As a respect to the victims of fire, at least 250,000 signed a petition to halt the firework display on New Year's Eve in Sydney. People asked to use the budget, which could go as high as AU$5.8 million ($4 million) according to the page of the petition, on helping the victims instead.

However, Clover Moore, mayor of Sydney, said that it is not possible as the pyro-spectacle event was planned for 15 months, and the budget has been allocated already. She also claimed that the event could generate at least $130 million, which can be used for the restoration project.