A countless number of rats, some of which are now dead, have arrived on the shores in coastal areas in northern Australia. The spike in rat population on beaches in Queensland is believed to be induced by the rainy season. Two factors contributed to their rising numbers which has now left residents of the area wary.

Rat plague spreads in Australia's Queensland, smelly heaps causing trouble for residents

<p>In a striking visual representation of the ongoing wildfire crisis in Australia's Northern Territory, Earth observation scientist Robbi Bishop-Taylor from Geoscience Australia shared a timelapse animation of the crisis on X, formerly known as Twitter.</p>

<p>The animation illustrates the shocking extent of the fire-ravaged area that has been ablaze for the past two months.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The scale of the fires currently burning across northern Australia is pretty unfathomable.<br />
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This animation visualises just the last two months of fire captured by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DEAHotspots?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DEAHotspots</a> - for context, the map covers an area larger than France, Spain and Germany combined... <a href="https://t.co/YBkOQP5xCK">pic.twitter.com/YBkOQP5xCK</a></p>
— Dr Robbi Bishop-Taylor 🛰️🌎🌊 (@SatelliteSci) <a href="https://twitter.com/SatelliteSci/status/1720253056762482706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>Wildfire crisis in Australia</strong></h2>

<p>Authorities say&nbsp;that the current wildfire season is the most severe in decades.</p>

<p>So far it has engulfed a staggering 12.8 million hectares (31.6 million acres) of land in just a two-month period.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-out-of-control-fires-prompt-evacuations-as-country-swelters-through-scorching-heat-641513">Australia: ‘Out of control’ fires prompt evacuations as country swelters in ‘scorching’ heat</a></strong></p>

<p>As recently as the last week, the&nbsp;Queensland residents faced evacuation orders due to crisis posed by the raging wildfires.</p>

<h2><strong>Why wildfires continue to rage on?</strong></h2>

<p>The El Niño weather event&nbsp;triggers extreme phenomena such as wildfires.</p>

<p>Northern Australia has also experienced scorching temperatures, prompting severe heatwave warnings in certain areas.</p>

<p>The dry and warm conditions provide ideal circumstances for the ignition and rapid spread of fires.</p>

<p>The risk is further escalated by above-average rainfall earlier in the year, leading to increased vegetation that becomes potential fuel for the fires.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;</strong><strong>From floods to fires: Australia's growing climate crisis</strong></p>

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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/from-floods-to-fires-australias-growing-climate-crisis-wion-cimate-tracker-639792/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<p>As the soil dries out under intense heat, the vegetation becomes highly flammable, intensifying the ease with which fires can ignite and spread across.</p>

<p>This combination of factors has created a perilous situation in northern parts of Australia, leading to a surge in fires, some suspected to be deliberately lit. The environmental and communal impact in the region has been devastating.</p>

<h2><strong>Fire season in Northern Hemisphere</strong></h2>

<p>The crisis in Australia follows a catastrophic fire season in the Northern Hemisphere, marked by record-breaking temperatures fueled by human-induced climate change.</p>

<p>As heatwaves swept across Asia, Europe, and North America, experts predict that 2023 may become the hottest year on record.</p>

<p>In Europe, wildfires emitted a staggering 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.</p>

<p>Italy faced an unprecedented heatwave while Greece went through a period of&nbsp;worst wildfire on record.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In a striking visual representation of the ongoing wildfire crisis in Australia's Northern Territory, Earth observation scientist Robbi Bishop-Taylor from Geoscience Australia shared a timelapse animation of the crisis on X, formerly known as Twitter.

In a striking visual representation of the ongoing wildfire crisis in Australia's Northern Territory, Earth observation scientist Robbi Bishop-Taylor from Geoscience Australia shared a timelapse animation of the crisis on X, formerly known as Twitter. The animation illustrates the shocking extent of the fire-ravaged area that has been ablaze for the past two months. The scale of the fires currently burning across northern Australia is pretty unfathomable. This animation visualises just the last two months of fire captured by #DEAHotspots - for context, the map covers an area larger than France, Spain and Germany combined... pic.twitter.com/YBkOQP5xCK — Dr Robbi Bishop-Taylor 🛰️🌎🌊 (@SatelliteSci) November 3, 2023 × Wildfire crisis in Australia Authorities say that the current wildfire season is the most severe in decades. So far it has engulfed a staggering 12.8 million hectares (31.6 million acres) of land in just a two-month period. Also read | Australia: ‘Out of control’ fires prompt evacuations as country swelters in ‘scorching’ heat As recently as the last week, the Queensland residents faced evacuation orders due to crisis posed by the raging wildfires. Why wildfires continue to rage on? The El Niño weather event triggers extreme phenomena such as wildfires. Northern Australia has also experienced scorching temperatures, prompting severe heatwave warnings in certain areas. The dry and warm conditions provide ideal circumstances for the ignition and rapid spread of fires. The risk is further escalated by above-average rainfall earlier in the year, leading to increased vegetation that becomes potential fuel for the fires. Also watch | From floods to fires: Australia's growing climate crisis × As the soil dries out under intense heat, the vegetation becomes highly flammable, intensifying the ease with which fires can ignite and spread across. This combination of factors has created a perilous situation in northern parts of Australia, leading to a surge in fires, some suspected to be deliberately lit. The environmental and communal impact in the region has been devastating. Fire season in Northern Hemisphere The crisis in Australia follows a catastrophic fire season in the Northern Hemisphere, marked by record-breaking temperatures fueled by human-induced climate change. As heatwaves swept across Asia, Europe, and North America, experts predict that 2023 may become the hottest year on record. In Europe, wildfires emitted a staggering 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Italy faced an unprecedented heatwave while Greece went through a period of worst wildfire on record. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Northern Australia seen burning in mapped animation amid raging wildfire crisis

The United States is planning to deploy up to six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to an air base in northern Australia amid heightened tensions with China.

US plans to deploy B-52 bombers in Australia amid China tensions

The cost of living in Northern Australia was never cheap but the rising inflation has made it even harder for the local population. According to local charities, some people are even close to becoming homeless.

Rising cost of living disrupts everyday life in Northern Australia