"Hope Sprouts Amid Disaster" New Shoots Appear in the Wake of Australian Bushfires

Large Wildfires in Australia Continue Since September Last Year
Plants Sprouting in Fire-Damaged Areas
Photographer: "Nature Is Giving Hope"

Photo released on Instagram by the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie, Australia / Photo by Daily Mail UK screen capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] As the wildfires that occurred in Australia last year continue to burn, it has been confirmed that plants are sprouting in the areas ravaged by the fires.

Foreign media such as the UK's Daily Mail reported on the 8th (local time) that plants have newly sprouted in the wildfire-affected areas within just a few weeks. The media described this as "hope sprouting amid disaster."

Photographer Mary Bourwind posted several photos on her Facebook page on the 6th, saying, "Even if everything is lost in nature, hope still remains." The released photos show crimson bushes and green sprouts growing between trees that were completely burned by the fire.

Mary said, "Today, I briefly visited Coolnura and met some residents who faced fierce flames before Christmas," adding, "Listening to their stories and visiting their homes was a very humbling experience."

Photographer Mary Bourwind shared the photo on her Facebook page 'Photography By Mary' on the 6th / Photo by Facebook page screenshot

She continued, "Local residents said they were able to overcome the most frightening time in their lives thanks to brave firefighters and emergency responders."

Mary described the scene at the time, saying, "The forest after the fire was eerie, but even among all the ashes and burnt trees, there were grasses and trees sprouting again. Nature is giving hope to people."

Regarding the reason for taking such photos, she said, "I wanted to find happy stories amid all the 'destruction' and 'darkness' portrayed in the media," and added, "I wanted to show others that nature is saying, 'Everything will be okay.'"

Meanwhile, according to local media, 6 million hectares were burned by the wildfires. This area is equivalent to 100 times the size of Seoul. As of the 5th, it was estimated that 24 people had died and 20 were missing. More than 200,000 households were reported to have been affected.

In addition, it was reported that 500 million wild animals, including koalas and kangaroos, died. The Australian native koala is now endangered. According to experts, one-third of the koalas living in Australia have died, and thousands of kangaroos, parrots, and other animals have also perished.