How Australian Wildfire Smoke Left Behind a Human Tragedy

The unprecedented devastation of Australia’s 2019-2020 "Black Summer" bushfires, its apocalyptic scenes broadcast globally for all to see, was a warning to the world. Three years later, the lasting health effects of the catastrophe are still manifesting themselves.
In this episode of Bloomberg Investigates, we meet a mother of three who fled her home while pregnant as the fires closed in. She believes the impact of the poisonous smoke belched skyward by the inferno has done permanent damage to her young children and her new baby.
With scores of similar accounts from Australian mothers, experts are racing to divine the ramifications of acute smoke exposure.
Read the investigation: www.bloomberg.com/features/20...
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[@alangray8241]

Superb journalism shining a bright light on matters of great public interest. Thank you.

[@t23001]

In the U.S. the EPA has effectively blocked forestry management experts from prescribed burns that reduce the risk of much larger fires. There are no perfect solutions for complex public policy issues. Smaller, preventive fires to reduce dead trees and debris will release smoke, but much less so than a huge wildfire.

[@davidpedersen1757]

It gets worse too. The Congressional delegation from California wants to WEAKEN the federal particulate standards to allow more prescribed burns to take place - and the hypocritical part? They're the same people begging the EPA to tighten the standards 🤦‍♂ you just can't make it up!

[@khurramhafeezuae2027]

Nice

[@coweatsman]

The whole thing made much worse by a useless Prime Minister who was holidaying in Hawaii. When he came back later and criticised he said "I don't hold the hose mate".

[@georgeofhamilton]

_Black Summer_ is a great show, by the way.

[@shashankraj2690]

Empathise with people shown here but, disappointed the Australian native Bushman's experience was not shown here.

[@esgee3829]

happy mining australia!

[@somerandomfella]

In Brisbane around 2011, the whole city was blanketed for days with an orange dust. It was like the end of days but apparently it was mining dust swept all the way from the inland.

[@esgee3829]

@@somerandomfella sad af

[@ecoideazventures6417]

Cruel statement but it's a wake up call for them!

[@adrianinglis5922]

What does mining have to do with those bushfires?

[@esgee3829]

@@adrianinglis5922 what does anything of humanity have the slightest to do with the changing climate of the earth?

[@JackMarshallEatsFood]

Would have been nice to hear about burn-back culture to keep the amount of combustible material down.

[@petefluffy7420]

That subject is several videos on its own.

[@dogestcreature]

Well, well, well... If it isn't the consequences of your actions!

[@adiposerex5150]

Too many humans.

[@SubvertTheState]

I'm so tired of these "Here's what to believe" panels on videos.

[@geraltofrivia9424]

Imagine being so dumb you completely neglect the part where they talk about experts just to sound relevant.

[@guff9567]

Did anyone force these people to go live on that continent. NO. You dont like it? You leave. The rest of us like it just fine

[@wadafik]

Wow, you have a lot of empathy.

[@Quantumrealitygraphics]

Also yeah, that's how penal colonies worked mate

[@sightline4004]

Wow, why didn't they think of that before?

[@adrianinglis5922]

Just because you live in Australia doesn't mean you are OK with death or side effects from bushfires. That bushfire season was horrific! The smoke was so thick and there was no way to escape it! I love Australia and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. GUFF, your comments are un-Australian.

[@guff9567]

@@adrianinglis5922 We've lived here 65,000 years. We've no problem with it