Australia: Environmental group schedules protest in Sydney January 15 /update 1

Event

A student environmentalist group has called for another protest in Sydney on Wednesday, January 15, to denounce perceived government inaction regarding the ongoing bushfire crisis. Participants plan to meet at 18:00 (local time) at Customs House in Circular Quay.

A similar environmental demonstration is scheduled in Parramatta on Tuesday, January 14. Participants plan to gather at 17:00 at the Town Hall. 

A heightened security presence and localized transportation disruptions are expected near the protest site. Similar protests are possible in other major urban areas in the coming weeks.

Context

Over 3 million hectares (7,413,161 acres) of land have been burned, and at least 1298 houses destroyed since the wildfires broke out in NSW on October 9. At least 15 people have also died in the region as of January 1. Authorities have indicated that the fires were due to high temperatures and droughts.

Wildfires are an annual event in Australia between December and February; however, authorities have been on high alert since September 2015 over unseasonably warm temperatures, prompting scientists to speculate that climate change could be extending and increasing the intensity of the fire season.

Advice

Individuals in Sydney and in the wider Sydney region are advised to monitor developments, avoid all protests and demonstrations, anticipate disruptions to transportation, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.