Australia has been caught in raging wildfires since August 2019.
These fires are mainly caused by the tinder-dry weather and rising temperatures.
The fire has since engulfed around six million hectares of land, including bushland, national parks, town, and cities in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales.
Legal action taken against 183
And as if the wildfires weren’t bad enough, it was recently reported by CNN that some people are to be blamed for this nationwide epidemic.
Since Nov. 8, 2019, the police of the state of New South Wales have taken legal action against 183 people for fire-related offenses.
The legal actions range from caution to criminal charges.
Intentionally starting fires
Of the 183, at least 24 people were charged for intentionally starting bushfires.
53 of them received warnings or criminal charges for failing to comply with a total fire ban.
Meanwhile, 47 others were accused of discarding a lit cigarette or match on land.
The police are appealing to the community to provide footage and images that show any of the fires in their infancy, even if only from a distance.
Up to 25 years imprisonment
If found guilty, one can be charged under the NSW Crimes Act, the Real Fires Act, and the Rural Fires Regulation.
The penalties relating to bushfires include:
- Damaging property with the intention of endangering life: Up to 25 years imprisonment.
- Manslaughter: Up to 25 years imprisonment
- Starting a bushfire and being reckless as to its spread: Up to two years’ imprisonment.
- Lighting a fire when a tool fire ban is in place: Up to 12 months imprisonment and/or a fine of AUD$5500 (S$5100).
- Not putting out a fire that you have lit: Up to 12 months imprisonment and/or a fine of AUD$5500 (S$5100).
- Failing to comply with a bushfire hazard reduction notice: Up to 12 months imprisonment and/or a fine of AUD$5500 (S$5100).
- Lighter use a tobacco product within 15 meters of any stack of grain, hay corn, straw or any standing crop, dry grass or stubble field: A fine of up to AUD$5500 (S$5100).
One billion animals feared dead
At least 24 people have died as a result of the wildfires.
On the other hand, the number of animals feared to have died from Australia’s bushfires has been raised to a billion, up from 480 million last week.
Top image from Fire and Rescue NSW Station 256 Cobar‘s Facebook page
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