Super Colossal. Bushfires in Victoria, Australia. The state of Victoria in southern Australia has recently been hit with hundreds of bush fires during a record-breaking heatwave - temperatures well above 38°C (100°F).
Unfortunately, these fires have proved to be the deadliest in Australian history, with at least 166 deaths reported so far. The fires mostly appear to have been started by lightning - however a few appear to have been arson, and are under investigation - entire towns being declared crime scenes. Twenty-four fires are still burning, and authorities warn that the death toll will likely rise. (36 photos total) A fire truck moves away from out of control flames from a bushfire in the Bunyip Sate Forest near the township of Tonimbuk, 125 kilometers (78 miles) west of Melbourne, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.
Walls of flame roared across southeastern Australia, razing scores of homes, forests and farmland in the sunburned country's worst wildfire disaster in a quarter century. MUTATIONS AUSTRALIENNE. Jusqu’à très récemment le soleil n’était pas un problème en Australie, Au contraire même cela faisait partie de l'identité du pays, aux côtés des kangourous, des surfers et des aborigènes.
Mais aujourd'hui les choses changent. Depuis 2006 l'Australie, continent déjà le plus sec du globe, connaît une terrible sécheresse. Les rendements agricoles ont chuté de 90 %, Le débit des rivières atteint à peine 10 % du niveau moyen traditionnellement enregistré. Et les feux de forêts ont détruit quelque 850 000 hectares, dans trois Etats.