中文
Mining giant BHP Group said on January 21 that poor air quality caused by smoke from Australia's bushfires is hurting coal production, as authorities cautioned a reprieve from hazardous fire conditions could end within days.
The warning from the world's biggest miner underscores how an unusually long bushfire season that has scorched an area one-third the size of Germany is damaging the world's No. 14 economy. Australia's tourism and insurance industries have already foreshadowed they face A$1 billion ($687 million) hit each from the fires.
"Smoke from regional bushfires and dust have reduced air quality at our operations, which has impacted December 2019 production," BHP said in a trading update, referring to its energy coal plants in New South Wales state where hundreds of fires have raged.
"If air quality continues to deteriorate then operations could be constrained further in the second half of the year," it added.
The fires have killed 29 people and millions of animals, destroyed more than 2,500 homes and razed 11 million hectares (27 million acres) of wilderness since September. Even with thunderstorms and rain in recent days, scores of fires are still burning on the east coast.
The disruption has extended to the capital, Canberra, and its two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, all of which have been repeatedly blanketed in thick smoke that has earned them air quality ratings among the worst in the world.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecast rising temperatures in the state of Victoria on January 22, combined with strong winds, creating a new risk of bushfires.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service issued a high fire danger rating for January 21 on the state's south coast.
The NSW state government, meanwhile, said it was increasing a grant for primary producers affected by the fires to A$75,000, from A$15,000 previously.
"Putting money back in people's pockets as soon as possible will allow affected communities to focus on rebuilding and repairing crucial infrastructure, treating, euthanizing or burying livestock, as well as buying much-needed fodder," said Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall.
(Writing by Becky Du Editing by Tammy Yang)
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