オーストラリア・ヴィクトリア州：クリスマスなのに避難生活

　オーストラリアのとある町。近くで大規模な野火が発生し―あー諸君、二時間なら家に戻っていいよ二時間なら。貴重品を持ってきてね。二時間だよー…という指示が出るという悲劇。

「Residents in an Australian region engulfed by bushfires were given two hours to return home to collect their belongings before Christmas on Tuesday, as emergency crews try to contain the blaze.」

　あーそうか、南半球はほどよく春～夏か。野火の季節か…。

BBC Australian towns evacuated over Christmas as fires rage 12 hours ago

Hannah Ritchie

　場所はヴィクトリア州。2019～2020年の「ブラック・サマー」以来の惨事になりそうだとの警告もある様子。あれかあ…あの惨事を想像させるようなレベルかあ…。

「Communities around the Grampians, in Victoria, have been evacuated amid warnings from authorities that conditions there in the days ahead could be the worst since Australia's most severe fire season on record, the so-called "Black Summer" of 2019-20.

The bushfires have already burnt over 41,000 hectares (101,000 acres) of land in the past week, however there have been no deaths or loss of property.」

　まあ、現状、家屋や人命に損害は出ていない模様。しかしヴィクトリア州全域で気温は40度、乾いた風が吹き散らしているそうで、それ自然発火へ一直線じゃないか。

「Throughout Victoria, temperatures are expected to reach 40C (104F) and be accompanied by strong dry winds, while parts of South Australia and New South Wales could also face bushfire conditions on Thursday into Friday.」