SYDNEY - Devastating bush fires that blanketed Australia's largest city with hazardous smoke this week have heightened public anger and raised political pressure on the government to do more to tackle climate change.
"Yesterday, smoke was causing some of the worst air pollution in Sydney that we've ever seen - this is climate change." Amid mounting public anger, Australia's Liberal-National government defended its policies in addressing climate change and downplayed links between climate change and the unprecedented early arrival and severity of the fires.
While Australian police are investigating the triggers of some fires, firefighters and scientists have said the bulk of the blazes have been caused by soaring temperatures and three years of drought that has left bushland tinder-box dry.