Australian fires spark state of emergency

Since the start of Australia's fire season in September last year,

the Australian bushfires have killed nearly 500 million animals, including about 8000 koalas - a third of a region's koala population. Millions of hectares of natural vegetation have been destroyed.

Several people have died as a result of the fires, that also destroyed over 1200 houses across the regions of New South Wales and Victoria. At least 17 people are missing after fires this week alone, with many having to become displaced and relocate. New South Wales have declared a 7-day state of emergency, where fire fighters battle the blazes, and organise evacuations.

A video of birds mimicking the sound of emergency vehicles (shown above) echo on the state of emergency, as if out of a post-apocalyptic film. Many scientists in particular are speaking out about their concerns on the connection between climate change and the bushfires, declaring further a state of climate emergency across the globe.

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