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The wildfire crisis ravaging Australia has wreaked environmental havoc since it began in September, wiping out almost 500 million animals and turning glaciers in New Zealand black.
Ecologists at the University of Sydney estimate around 480 million animals have been killed in the wildfires, including 8,000 koalas.
Officials fear that 30 per cent of the koala colony in New South Wales had been destroyed as 10 million acres of land burned to the ground in the state.
Nature Conservation Council ecologist Mark Graham told parliament: “[Koalas] really have no capacity to move fast enough to get away [from the flames].
“The fires have burned so hot and so fast that there has been significant mortality of animals in the trees, but there is such a big area now that is still on fire and still burning that we will probably never find the bodies.”
1/45
A firefighter hosing down trees and flying embers in an effort to secure nearby houses from bushfires near the town of Nowra in the state of New South Wales
AFP via Getty
2/45
A satellite image of the Batemans Bay showing smoke and fire from wild bushfires
European Union, Copernicus Sentinel Data via REUTERS
3/45
The afternoon sky glows red from bushfires in Nowra
AFP/Getty
4/45
The remains of burnt out buildings along a main street in the New South Wales town of Cobargo
AFP via Getty
5/45
Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland, Victoria. More than 800,000 hectares have been burnt in East Gippsland
EPA/DELWP Gippsland
6/45
A Rural Fire Service (RFS) firefighter conducts mopping up near the town of Sussex Inlet
Getty
7/45
A helicopter dumping water on a fire in Victoria's East Gippsland region
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning/AFP
8/45
Think smoke from bushfires fills the air in eastern Gippsland
Getty Images
9/45
Wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale
Glen Morey via AP
10/45
Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage behind Lake Conjola
Robert Oerlemans via AP
11/45
Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland
EPA/DELWP Gippsland
12/45
LIFES.A.BREEZE via REUTERS
13/45
Smoke and wildfire rage behind Lake Conjola
Robert Oerlemans via AP
14/45
Burning embers cover the ground as firefighters battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra
AFP via Getty
15/45
The sky glows red as bushfires continue to rage in Mallacoota, Victoria
Jonty Smith via Reuters
16/45
Wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale
AP
17/45
"Carmelised" snow caused by dust from Australian bushfires is seen near Franz Josef glacier in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, New Zealand
Reuters
18/45
Firefighters try to protect homes around Charmhaven, New South Wales
NSW Rural Fire Service/AP
19/45
A house and van are seen destroyed after bushfires ravaged the town of Bilpin, west of Sydney
AFP via Getty
20/45
Nowra
AFP via Getty
21/45
Photographer Matt Roberts reacts to seeing his sister's house destroyed by a bushfire in Quaama, New South Wales
EPA
22/45
A helicopter fighting a bushfire near Bairnsdale in Victoria's East Gippsland region
State Government of Victoria/AFP
23/45
Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra
AFP via Getty
24/45
Fire and Rescue personal run to move their truck as a bushfire burns next to a major road and homes on the outskirts of the town of Bilpin
Getty
25/45
Amy, left, and Ben Spencer sit at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires
AFP via Getty
26/45
A firefighter sprays foam retardant on a back burn ahead of a fire front in the New South Wales town of Jerrawangala
AFP via Getty
27/45
Two bushfires approach a home located on the outskirts of the town of Bargo
Getty
28/45
A New South Wales Police officer prepares to flee his roadblock on the Princes Highway near the town of Sussex Inlet
Getty
29/45
Property damaged by the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield, Victoria
EPA
30/45
Nowra
AFP via Getty
31/45
Property under threat from the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield
EPA
32/45
A Rural Fire Service firefighter conducts mopping up near the town of Sussex Inlet
Getty
33/45
A home recently destroyed by bushfires can be seen near the town of Bilpin
Getty
34/45
The main street of the New South Wales town of Bombala is pictured shrouded in smoke from nearby bushfires
AFP via Getty
35/45
An aerial view of a bushfire near Bairnsdale
State Government of Victoria/EPA
36/45
The remains of burnt out buildings in Cobargo
AFP via Getty
37/45
Business owners stand in front of their shop which was destroyed by a bushfire in Cobargo
EPA
38/45
Tourists walk through dense smoke from bushfires in front of the Batemans Bay bridge as cars line up to leave the town
AFP via Getty
39/45
Children play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires
AFP via Getty
40/45
The afternoon sky glows orange from bushfires in the area around the town of Nowra
AFP via Getty
41/45
People climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge during a 'Bridge Climb' guided tour
Getty
42/45
A Rural Fire Service (RFS) firefighter conducts mopping up near the town of Sussex Inlet
Getty
43/45
Property damaged by a fire is seen at a Sarsfield residence in East Gippsland
Reuters
44/45
German tourists Julia Wasmiller, left, and Jessica Pryor pose for a photo at Mrs Macquarie's chair, wearing face masks due to heavy smoke
Getty
45/45
Cars line up to leave the town of Batemans Bay in New South Wales
AFP via Getty
1/45
A firefighter hosing down trees and flying embers in an effort to secure nearby houses from bushfires near the town of Nowra in the state of New South Wales
AFP via Getty
2/45
A satellite image of the Batemans Bay showing smoke and fire from wild bushfires
European Union, Copernicus Sentinel Data via REUTERS
3/45
The afternoon sky glows red from bushfires in Nowra
AFP/Getty
4/45
The remains of burnt out buildings along a main street in the New South Wales town of Cobargo
AFP via Getty
5/45
Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland, Victoria. More than 800,000 hectares have been burnt in East Gippsland
EPA/DELWP Gippsland
6/45
A Rural Fire Service (RFS) firefighter conducts mopping up near the town of Sussex Inlet
Getty
7/45
A helicopter dumping water on a fire in Victoria's East Gippsland region
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning/AFP
8/45
Think smoke from bushfires fills the air in eastern Gippsland
Getty Images
9/45
Wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale
Glen Morey via AP
10/45
Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage behind Lake Conjola
Robert Oerlemans via AP
11/45
Smoke billowing from a fire burning at East Gippsland
EPA/DELWP Gippsland
12/45
LIFES.A.BREEZE via REUTERS
13/45
Smoke and wildfire rage behind Lake Conjola
Robert Oerlemans via AP
14/45
Burning embers cover the ground as firefighters battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra
AFP via Getty
15/45
The sky glows red as bushfires continue to rage in Mallacoota, Victoria
Jonty Smith via Reuters
16/45
Wildfires rage under plumes of smoke in Bairnsdale
AP
17/45
"Carmelised" snow caused by dust from Australian bushfires is seen near Franz Josef glacier in the Westland Tai Poutini National Park, New Zealand
Reuters
18/45
Firefighters try to protect homes around Charmhaven, New South Wales
NSW Rural Fire Service/AP
19/45
A house and van are seen destroyed after bushfires ravaged the town of Bilpin, west of Sydney
AFP via Getty
20/45
Nowra
AFP via Getty
21/45
Photographer Matt Roberts reacts to seeing his sister's house destroyed by a bushfire in Quaama, New South Wales
EPA
22/45
A helicopter fighting a bushfire near Bairnsdale in Victoria's East Gippsland region
State Government of Victoria/AFP
23/45
Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra
AFP via Getty
24/45
Fire and Rescue personal run to move their truck as a bushfire burns next to a major road and homes on the outskirts of the town of Bilpin
Getty
25/45
Amy, left, and Ben Spencer sit at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires
AFP via Getty
26/45
A firefighter sprays foam retardant on a back burn ahead of a fire front in the New South Wales town of Jerrawangala
AFP via Getty
27/45
Two bushfires approach a home located on the outskirts of the town of Bargo
Getty
28/45
A New South Wales Police officer prepares to flee his roadblock on the Princes Highway near the town of Sussex Inlet
Getty
29/45
Property damaged by the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield, Victoria
EPA
30/45
Nowra
AFP via Getty
31/45
Property under threat from the East Gippsland fires in Sarsfield
EPA
32/45
A Rural Fire Service firefighter conducts mopping up near the town of Sussex Inlet
Getty
33/45
A home recently destroyed by bushfires can be seen near the town of Bilpin
Getty
34/45
The main street of the New South Wales town of Bombala is pictured shrouded in smoke from nearby bushfires
AFP via Getty
35/45
An aerial view of a bushfire near Bairnsdale
State Government of Victoria/EPA
36/45
The remains of burnt out buildings in Cobargo
AFP via Getty
37/45
Business owners stand in front of their shop which was destroyed by a bushfire in Cobargo
EPA
38/45
Tourists walk through dense smoke from bushfires in front of the Batemans Bay bridge as cars line up to leave the town
AFP via Getty
39/45
Children play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega where they are camping after being evacuated from nearby sites affected by bushfires
AFP via Getty
40/45
The afternoon sky glows orange from bushfires in the area around the town of Nowra
AFP via Getty
41/45
People climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge during a 'Bridge Climb' guided tour
Getty
42/45
A Rural Fire Service (RFS) firefighter conducts mopping up near the town of Sussex Inlet
Getty
43/45
Property damaged by a fire is seen at a Sarsfield residence in East Gippsland
Reuters
44/45
German tourists Julia Wasmiller, left, and Jessica Pryor pose for a photo at Mrs Macquarie's chair, wearing face masks due to heavy smoke
Getty
45/45
Cars line up to leave the town of Batemans Bay in New South Wales
AFP via Getty
Rescuers at Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services (WIRES), a rescue and rehabilitation organisation in Australia, told Reuters they were concerned about not receiving as many animal patients are they would expect in the crisis.
Tracy Burgess, a volunteer, said: “We’re not getting that many animals coming into our care. So our concern is that they don’t come into care because they’re not there anymore, basically.”
Across the Tasman Sea, smoke from the wildfires are posting a new threat to New Zealand’s iconic white glaciers, turning them black and staining snow brown.
Social media posts from tourists and helicopter services from the Franz Josef and Tasman glaciers show “caramelised” snow and smoke-shrouded views.
A climber who posted a video of yellow-stained views from the top of the Tasman Glacier added: “We can actually smell the burning here in Christchurch. Thinking of you guys.”
Ash from the smoke could accelerate melting snow on the glaciers, which already face a climate disaster of their own.
The whiteness of snow and ice reflects the sun’s heat and slows melting, but as ash and dust settles on the snow, it absorbs more heat and melts at a faster rate.
Over 3,000 glaciers in New Zealand are quickly disappearing due to global warming and many could completely melt away by the end of the century.
Andrew Mackintosh, a glacier and climate expert, told The Australian: “If it stays on the surface then it will certainly enhance melt. If fire frequency, ash and dust transport increase, there is a chance that this will hasten the demise of New Zealand’s glaciers.”
The total death toll rose to 17 on New Year’s Day and over five million hectares (12 million acres) of land has been torched since the blazes began in September.
New South Wales Minister for Transport and Roads, Andrew Constance, became emotional and broke down on live television as he recounted the impact of the fires.
“It’s unfair. I met four Rural Fire Service guys yesterday who lost their homes. Beautiful neighbours of mine lost their homes. It is tough,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s News Breakfast programme on Wednesday.