Auckland, New Zealand – February 28, 2024 – Residents of Victoria, Australia, are bracing for another day of intense bushfires, but experts say the skies over new Zealand are unlikely to turn the eerie orange seen in 2020.
Bushfires in Australia, But Not a Repeat of 2020’s Orange Skies
While devastating fires rage in Australia, atmospheric conditions suggest New zealand won’t experience the same dramatic sky color as six years ago.
- At least 130 homes have been lost in Victoria, Australia, as of February 28, 2024.
- A State of Disaster has been declared in 18 local government areas and one alpine resort in Victoria.
- A total fire ban is in effect across the entire state of Victoria.
- Experts believe cloud cover and less intense fires will prevent a repeat of the 2020 orange skies in New Zealand.
Will New Zealand see those unsettling orange and yellow skies again? Not likely, according to current forecasts. Experts suggest that a greater amount of cloud cover, combined with fires that aren’t expected to be as widespread as those in 2020, will prevent the atmospheric conditions that created the dramatic visual phenomenon.
A: The color was caused by smoke and dust particles from bushfires in Australia being carried across the Tasman Sea, scattering sunlight in a way that created the orange hue.
In 2020,the unusual skies prompted a flurry of calls to New Zealand police. Officers were inundated with 111 calls from concerned citizens reporting the “eerie” orange and yellow-tinted skies over Auckland, and seeking explanations for the change in color.
Currently, the situation in Victoria is dire. As of February 28, 2024, at least 130 homes have been lost to the bushfires. A State of Disaster was declared overnight in 18 fire-affected local government areas and one alpine resort. News.com.au reported that a total fire ban is now in place across the entire state.
The contrast between the current situation and 2020 is meaningful. As one expert noted, “Tho, given the amount of clouds… and the fires won’t be as significant as five years ago, which means we won’t be in a position to see that orange sky.”
The ongoing bushfire crisis in Victoria underscores the continued threat posed by wildfires, even as atmospheric conditions may spare New Zealand a repeat of the unsettling skies experienced four years ago.
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