Image: iStock Koala has been one of the most affected animal speciesBelgium or the community of Aragon would have been completely burned Up to 8 million hectares. That is the figure that Australia fires have left to date. The one that is already considered one of the great catastrophes of recent years has completely transformed the beautiful and varied Australian landscape into a Dantesque and terrifying postcard, eliminating millions of animals in its path.The figures are worrisome, focusing once more on climate change. Since September 2019, more than 25 people have died, leaving more than 2,000 burned houses if we attend to the events of this week. As if that were not enough, with the fires of the last days, millions of animals would have perished trying to escape. One of the most affected species has been the Koala. The first data suggests that almost a third of all koalas would have lost their habitat. </p><p>To understand the seriousness of the events, let’s recover again the surface that has reached the fires of these last days. Up to 8 million hectares. On paper it sounds like a huge amount of covered area, true, but if we compare it with other areas we can come to understand the seriousness and awareness that the issue needs, even more so despite the images that circulate on the internet. And if we take those 8 million hectares and move them to Spain, we would be talking about the entire surface of Aragon. If we go to other countries, the whole country of Belgium would have been burned from top to bottom. Same case with Ireland or England. This is reflected in the graphics of a Facebook user who shows in detail the equivalence of the areas affected by fires in Australia compared to other countries.To understand the seriousness of the events, let’s recover again the surface that has reached the fires of these last days. Up to 8 million hectares. On paper it sounds like a huge amount of covered area, true, but if we compare it with other areas we can come to understand the seriousness and awareness that the issue needs, even more so despite the images that circulate on the internet. And if we take those 8 million hectares and move them to Spain, we would be talking about the entire surface of Aragon. If we go to other countries, the whole country of Belgium would have been burned from top to bottom. Same case with Ireland or England. This is reflected in the graphics of a Facebook user who shows in detail the equivalence of the areas affected by fires in Australia compared to other countries. read more