Who would have thought that breathing in smoke would have been a common occurrence this summer? Fires are always around over the summer season but this year it is very dire.
The fires started in this country in October, so far 6 people have been killed and 700 homes have been destroyed. Currently the fires near Sydney are too large to be put out, 300,000 hectares are burning.
Ben and I arrived home on 23 November to find our car covered in ash. It was parked under a carport at a relative's house in Brisbane. She told us that the fires had been rampant .... they are still burning.
This is what Australians see nightly on the weather map at the end of the news. It is scary!

Why is the country burning?
According to the scientists, the meteorologists and environmentalists climate change is a factor along with the emissions of coal. We need to cut it down is the major message and regrettably Australia is not going as fast as it should.
There is however another factor to our fire crisis, a sinister horrible one that has to do with people purposely light fires. It is hard to believe that someone would wantonly cause such a travesty of their country and fellow man. But they do and it seems that young people aged 21 and under are the major contenders in the arson trade.
What are they thinking?
The answer is, they are not thinking of the implications
Who goes out to purposely start fires?
According to this BBC report:
Two of the most recent studies say there are between 52,000 and 54,000 bushfires in Australia every year.
Dr Paul Read, co-director of Australia's National Centre for Research in Bushfire and Arson, puts the figure higher, at "62,000 and increasing".
Of those, 13% are started deliberately, and 37% are suspicious. That means 31,000 Australian bushfires are either arson, or suspected arson, every year. That figure does not include recklessness or accidents. So a bushfire caused by a barbecue, or a spark from a chainsaw, would be classed as "accidental".
In short, up to 85 bushfires begin every day because someone leaves their house and decides to start one.
source
I also read in the same article that some adult aged arsonists light fires and help neighbours fight the fires. Then there is the story of the man who was not a physically violent went and lit a fire when he found out that his girlfriend was cheating on him.
Early October there was a major fire on The Sunshine Coast not too far from my home. It was deliberately lit by a couple of 15 year olds. Two were charged and faced court. Because they are juveniles it was a closed court and of course the outcome of the court proceedings have not been publicly released. It was a major blaze where 100 homes had to be evacuated. Unfortunately despite the valiant efforts of the firefighters a couple of homes were lost.
Fires are predicted to continue throughout the summer. The upside to Australia burning is the help given by our overseas firefighters. So far I have read that Canadian firefighters are volunteering their services which the Australian people are very grateful for. This is the only positive upside of such travesties that I can think of right now.
I know the favour is returned. I know of Australian firefighters travel to the US to help with the fighting of their fires in California etc. But I am sure it occurs often with a number of countries. It is understandable how firefighters physically, mentally and emotionally wear out. Everyone can do with a helping hand, it is about mate ship.
