The article draws parallels between California's current wildfire crisis and Australia's ongoing struggle with bushfires. It emphasizes how deeply ingrained bushfire experiences are in Australian culture, affecting individual narratives and national identity. The author reflects on personal experiences of bushfires and the environment's role in shaping these disasters. The rising temperatures, frequent droughts, and flammable eucalyptus trees make Australia particularly susceptible to fires. The historical context of devastating fires in Australia informs the perspective on California's plight, suggesting a need for better management and understanding of natural disasters as urban areas encroach into fire-prone areas.
As Angelenos stand in the ashes of their own fires, the fear, rage and finger-pointing has kicked in. Australians have been there, too.
Fire transforms what it touches, not just the air that it poisons and the land it blackens, but also people and institutions.
Australia is hotter and dryer than the United States, with strong winds and frequent droughts.
Nearly every Australian has a bushfire story or a few. I was a 6-year-old in the suburbs of Sydney when I first saw that red sun.
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