Black Christmas

This might seem like a strange topic for a Christmas post,

but if you want to know what Christmas

is really like in Australia

then you need to know about bush fires.

The end of the year is dry and hot in Australia

and is known as the bushfire season.

(mush like Japan has typhoon season)

Also the drought that has lasted for years

continues to make the situation even worse.

Almost every year there are huge fires that destroy

forests, animals, peoples homes

and sometimes, sadly their lives.

One of the most famous, in 2001

was known as "black Christmas".

Australia has many eucalyptus trees, (the ones koalas eat)

so many in fact that the mountains near my family home

look blue from a distance due to the fumes they release.

Eucalyptus is however, also highly flammable,

this means that the fire travels very quickly

and often traps people.

All in all the bushfire are dangerous,

but Australians have lived with them for years

and we know what to do to avoid being caught.

Oddly enough though, they are also rather beautiful to watch.