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Letter 139
What to Read on Australia’s Bushfire Crisis
Our reporters have been on the ground documenting the disaster as it unfolded, whether interviewing evacuees or following firefighters.
The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email. This week’s issue is written by Isabella Kwai, a reporter with the Australia bureau.
Australians have started the new year anxious and alarmed with unprecedented bushfires engulfing parts of the country, causing thousands to flee the southeastern coast under blood-red skies.
But the fires have been blazing around Australia since September, killing at least 24 people and gutting an area larger than Denmark. Over 2,000 homes have been destroyed and conditions are expected to worsen this weekend, with months left to go in a fire season that seems to get longer every year.
Our reporters have been on the ground capturing the crisis as it unfolded, whether speaking with evacuees or analyzing why it happened — and telling readers how to help.
Here are some of the highlights of our coverage.
The Australian Fires
Australia’s Volunteer Firefighters Find It Hard to Pause, Even for Christmas: Thousands were working extended shifts to battle relentless blazes, raising questions about whether the country could continue to rely on an unpaid force.
‘It’s Going to Be a Blast Furnace’: Australia Fires Intensify: Calling for evacuations along the southeastern coast, officials said the coming days would be among the worst yet in an already catastrophic fire season.
‘Nowhere Else to Go’: Some Defy Warnings to Flee Australian Fires: The authorities warned of potentially worse conditions ahead, but some residents wanted to protect their homes. Others feared that fleeing would be more dangerous.
The Springs Ran Dry. Then This Australian Town Burned: People in some lush rural places thought the blazes would never reach them. On New Year’s Eve, as firestorms swept through, they were proved wrong. “I’ve run out of tears,” one resident said.
How Rupert Murdoch Is Influencing Australia’s Bushfire Debate: Critics see a concerted effort to shift blame, protect conservative leaders and divert attention from climate change.
‘Armageddon Is Here’: Australian Readers Share Their Wildfire Experiences: Readers told us how they were coping.
Donate $10 to Australia, Get a Nude Photo: Nude models found a provocative way to raise money for wildfire relief.
Koala Mittens and Baby Bottles: Saving Australia’s Animals After Fires: Millions of animals, many found on no other continent, may have perished, and Australians are taking care of some of the survivors.
How to Help Victims of Australia’s Fires: With people displaced and wildlife populations gutted, here are some ways to help.
As Fires Rage, Australia Sees Its Leader as Missing in Action: Many have been frustrated by what they see as Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s nonchalant response to the crisis.
Millions of Australians Are Choking on Smoke From Wildfires: Australians in major cities, not threatened by flames, are still experiencing this crisis in their lungs.
Why the Fires in Australia Are So Bad: Bushfire season is nothing new to Australians, but this summer has been calamitous — and it’s far from over.
Opinion|Australia Is Committing Climate Suicide: As record fires rage, the country’s leaders seem intent on sending it to its doom, says the novelist Richard Flanagan.
Australia Shows Us the Road to Hell: The New York Times columnist Paul Krugman finds the political reaction scarier than the fires.
Some of Australia’s Smallest Species Could Be Lost to Wildfires: Velvet worms, trapdoor spiders: Scientists worry about the fate of the nation’s many remarkable, overlooked creatures.
What You Need to Know About Traveling to Australia During This Fire Season: Experts recommend getting travel insurance, checking on airline and hotel cancellation policies, and knowing exactly what areas are affected.
Trump and Iran
How the Confrontation Between the U.S. and Iran Escalated: Here’s how the situation developed over the last two weeks.
Video Shows Ukrainian Plane Being Hit Over Iran: The Times has obtained video of the moment a Ukrainian airliner was hit minutes after takeoff from Tehran.
Iranian Missile Accidentally Brought Down Ukrainian Jet, Officials Say, Citing Early Evidence: Western intelligence found that Iran was responsible for the plane crash, indicating that the deaths of the 176 people aboard were a consequence of the heightened tensions between Washington and Iran.
Confrontation in Congress Looms Over Iran Conflict: Both President Trump and Iranian leaders signaled their willingness to end hostilities.
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Isabella Kwai is a breaking news reporter in the London bureau. She joined The Times in 2017 as part of the Australia bureau. More about Isabella Kwai
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