I agree with your comment about reducing animal consumption. All this really boils down to not being wasteful. We shouldn't have to cut meat out of our diet, just cut how much we are wasting and I'm sure that will make a huge difference. It's appalling how much food is thrown away on a daily basis her in America. We way over feed people and either expect them to eat it all and be fat cows or we throw it away when they can't.

Actually, the trees burn to germinate. The Australian Govt used to do a ""back burn" to prevent what is happening & changed the law to stop so prevention steps were not made this year.

dear sky, aborigines are not vegan, plenty of indigenous peoples are never going to be vegan, China is never going to be a vegan nation, please acknowledge you are speaking to the western world and plenty of people who go vegan are women who want to be fit as opposed to having a political opinion or true regard of animal sentience Every little step helps? you need to understand that it is capitalism destroying the world! every possible market is exploited and profit the only true goal. Our eco consumerism changes nothing. So many vegan products smothered in packaging, Ben and jerry's being applauded for making vegan icecream when they rely on dairy industry for their dollar. Veganism = is new product to market. And the oil industry is never going to stop. The only power we have left is to take up our politcal roots as the left, as socialists, and to vote in a government that bases all policy on the true good of the planet and working people.

Thank you sky blue for your comment. Every day, as a vegan, one saves: 1 animal life; 1,100 gallons of water; 30 sq. feet of forest; 40 lbs. of grain; 20 lbs. of CO2. Also, consumption of animal protein in meat, dairy, and eggs, is the leading cause of chronic, painful inflammations in human body, such as arthritis, chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, and various cancers..

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These fires were set by humans. These are NOT the largest fires that have happened in the history of Australia. There has been several that has been the same or more acreage. Climate change can NOT be blamed for everything that bad that happens in the world. And as stated there has been far worse fires back when they dis NOT have as much equipment so how do you think those people felt when far inferior equipment back then. Look up the history of bushfires in Australia and you will see how often it happens. Mismanagement of the areas also has NOT helped since the protesters stopped the controlled burns that diminish the underbrush so all that does is add more fuel to burn when an arsonist lights it. There has been several hundred caught. There was a report written in 2015 that stated this could happen since the government had stopped doing controlled burns like has been done for precious years. So do NOT blame climate change, it was due to humans mismanagement and arsonist.

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This is not a climate change issue, this is arson. Plain and simple arson and on top of that bad forestry management, not allowing the undergrowth to be cut back and burned before they got too much. The forest needs to be periodically burned to keep the growth down to a manageable size where brush fires won't be as bad as they are right now.