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Australia bush fires burned a globally unprecedented area of forest

Australia bush fires burned a globally unprecedented area of forest

24 February 2020

Australia’s recent extreme wildfires burned 5.8 million hectares of forest, destroying about one fifth of the forest biome in eastern Australia over four months


Australian livestock

Australian government report predicted severe wildfires 11 years ago

8 January 2020

A 2008 report commissioned by the Australian government predicted that climate change would cause the fire season to start earlier and be more intense after about 2020


Death toll rises as thousands seek shelter from Australian bush fires

Death toll rises as thousands seek shelter from Australian bush fires

31 December 2019

Twelve people have died and thousands more have been displaced by three months of bush fires in Australia, as temperatures have soared to 45°C


Residents defend a property from a bushfire at Hillsville near Taree, 350km north of Sydney on November 12, 2019. - A state of emergency was declared on November 11 and residents in the Sydney area were warned of

Worsening bushfires cause Australia to declare state of emergency

12 November 2019

Australia is preparing for catastrophic bushfires as one state minister warns that this could be the worst week of wildfires in the country’s history


Helicopter dropping water on a house fire

Huge fire blankets can protect houses from destructive wildfires

15 October 2019

Wrapping a wooden house in a fire-resistant blanket can protect it from a wildfire for around 10 minutes - enough to let it survive fast-moving blazes


Helicopter putting out a fire

Sticky fluid can be sprayed on grassy verges to prevent wildfires

30 September 2019

A weather-resistant fluid containing fire retardants can be sprayed onto vegetation to stop wildfires from starting at high-risk areas such as roadsides


Charred roof debris in front of the cathedral's altar

Macron’s pledge to rebuild Notre Dame in five years may be possible

18 April 2019

Many have expressed dismay at the “loss” of Notre Dame following Monday’s fire, but thankfully most of the building is still intact thanks to its clever design


Firefighters tackle moorland blazes fuelled by UK's warm weather

Firefighters tackle moorland blazes fuelled by UK's warm weather

27 February 2019

Moorland fires have broken out in West Yorkshire and Edinburgh, thanks in part to the unseasonably warm and dry conditions in the UK


film animation

Don't miss – time travel anime, overpopulation and skewed food science

24 October 2018

Catch Japanese animation Mirai, download a Malthusian discussion and read Marion Nestle's take on how food giants try to muddy the waters on dietary health


Brazil's National Museum on fire

Fire destroys priceless artefacts at Brazil's National Museum

3 September 2018

Brazil's National Museum has been consumed by fire, along with 20 million scientific artefacts


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