Australian ag hit hard by bushfires
Millions of sheep and cattle could be affected by wildfires ravaging southern Australia.
Livestock losses across South Australia are in the thousands, and the figure is growing due to smoke and heat as a bushfire crisis deepens, Australia’s Minister for Agriculture Bridget McKenzie said Friday. However, she urged regional communities to continue to prioritize personal safety, even as concern for livestock grows.
"The devastating loss of life to date underscores a critical need for cooperation and support in regional and urban communities alike,” McKenzie said. To date, the bushfires have resulted in at least 19 human fatalities, with dozens of others missing.
According to the New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service, at midnight on Thursday, 137 fires were burning across NSW, with more than 60 yet to be contained.
“Over 2,000 firefighters are continuing to work hard throughout this evening in preparation for severe and extreme fire danger predicted for many parts of the state today,” the agency tweeted.
The Victorian government declared a state of emergency Jan. 2 as fires were expected to continue to ravage the region.
Mecardo agricultural analyst Matt Ballarat reported Jan. 3 that approximately 8.6 million head of sheep (12% of the flock) and 2.3 million head of cattle (9% of the herd) could be affected by the fires (Figure 1).