Starting in New South Wales in September 2019, and extending into Victoria, the ferocious Australian bushfires were fueled by record-breaking temperatures. In the midst of a climate crisis, 2019 was the hottest year on record in Australia. Winds blew smoke over New Zealand and crossed the South Pacific Ocean, even reaching Chile and Argentina. A staggering 10 million hectares (25 million acres) of land were burned, at least twenty-four people were killed, and it was reported that almost half a billion animals perished. During the fires there was increased carbon monoxide along Australia’s southeast coast. January 12, 2020.