Catastrophic Alerts in Australia!
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It’s 5 past 12!
What we see in Australia are the consequences of the climate crisis happening right now and us touring only adds to the problem.
Yes, Australia has always had bushfires, but officials say that the intensity and scale of the current blazes are unprecedented and like nothing they’ve seen before. Yet, summer has only just begun and temperatures will continue to rise. The recent sooty rainfalls that brought little relief on the east coast from Sydney to Melbourne will likely be followed by “blazes taking off again”, officials warned.
The fires not only destroy whole landscapes that native wildlife depends on for survival , but are a real threat to the life and limb of the Australian people. So far over 5 million hectares and 1500 homes have been destroyed.
While politicians still debate or even ignore the link between this national emergency and global warming, the bushfires cause an increase of CO2 emissions, only adding to the circumstances that have lead to this escalation in the first place.
© Karl Hofman -
To us, the time to debate has passed
Record low rainfalls and the resulting vulnerable landscapes are linked to longer dry seasons. As The Guardian says: “it’s climate change that has drawn out the Australian fire season, by heating the temperature and drying the air”, a trend that will persist for years to come.
The New Year's Eve Festival at Lorne, which we planned to play at, was canceled due to the extreme weather: “The conditions are too dangerous to go ahead”. Touring through Australia at this moment leaves us forlorn and uncertain about the prospect of future concerts Down Under.
© Alex Farias -
Summer Festivals under threat
What will happen to those summer festivals if fire seasons keep coming back this intense? Traveling with the whole crew and equipment across the planet is only adding to the problem. We’re scrutinizing our own environmental impact and consequently feel ashamed for the carbon footprint of our tour.
This is an upsetting reminder to rethink all of our actions, as a band and as global citizens.
What can we do right now to help the catastrophic situation in Australia? Here are the recommendations shared by The Guardian on how to support the firefighters.
Stay safe.
