Smoke from raging fires in Australia that killed at least seven people this week reached several cities in New Zealand and turned the sky orange, the New Zealand Herald newspaper reported on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st January, 2020) Smoke from raging fires in Australia that killed at least seven people this week reached several cities in New Zealand and turned the sky orange, the New Zealand Herald newspaper reported on Wednesday.During three months of bushfires, more than seven million acres of forest have reportedly been burned, destroying animal habitats, plant species and homes in the process. New fires were also ignited on Tuesday due to lightning storms caused by the smoke from the bushfires.
New Zealanders are sharing videos and photos of the thick orange smog covering the sun on social media. Residents of Christchurch, which is more than 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) away from the fire, are also complaining about the smoke, according to the media outlet.
"Smoke which has travelled around 2,000km across the Tasman Sea can clearly be seen over the lower South Island. Visibility in the smoke haze is as low as 10km in the worst affected areas," New Zealand's meteorological service wrote on Twitter.
Earlier in the day, it was reported that the Australian Defense Force was sending military vessels and aircraft to the country's southeastern regions as massive bushfires left nearly 4,000 people trapped on the beaches.
The fires have been the result of severe drought and record-setting temperatures in Australia. Last Wednesday, Australia recorded its warmest day on record, with an average maximum of 107.4 degrees Fahrenheit.
