Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Hazardous smoke blanketed Sydney on Thursday as wildfires burned across eastern and southern Australia. Thick smog shrouded Australia’s most populous city, leaving its iconic skyline barely visible two days after smoke created serious air quality issues. The New South Wales Rural Fire Service said the smoke from around 50 wildfires burning mainly in northern parts of the state. Air pollution levels were reading nearly 10 times higher than the national standard.

Wildfires have destroyed more than 600 homes in Australia’s most populous state. The annual Australian fire season normally peaks during the Southern Hemisphere summer, but has started early after an unusually warm and dry winter.