On Wednesday evening, an estimated 20,000 Sydneysiders marched in the CBD, demanding climate action from the government in the wake of the ongoing bushfires across the east coast of Australia.
So far, some 90 fires raging across NSW alone have destroyed more than 720 homes, decimated wildlife, and has left Sydney choking through thick smoke and ash that has blanketed much of the state for weeks.
On Tuesday, December 10, the smoke haze across Sydney was reported as 11 times past air quality levels considered “hazardous”. CBD workers were forced to evacuate offices all around the city as smoke alarms were triggered. The streets felt chaotic, dystopic even as sirens went off and Sydneysiders wearing P2 masks hurried to get inside.
And experts are saying these smokey conditions could remain the norm for the entirety of summer. But here’s the thing, these fires are so far from normal. Just look at what our firies are dealing with right now.
The NSW Bureau of Meteorology said this week that some of the fires currently raging were simply too big to be fought with water-bombing aircrafts or firefighters on the ground.
“The massive NSW fires are in some cases just too big to put out at the moment … they’re pumping out vast amounts of smoke which is filling the air, turning the sky orange and even appearing like significant rain on our radars,” the bureau said.
And yet this week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison denied extra support to firefighters. It’s no wonder we’re frustrated, and on Wednesday evening during the climate emergency rally, Sydney did not hold back in expressing its disappointment through the creative medium of hand-made signs.
These are the signs that hit us the hardest.
