Waking up to the new year in Canberra with smoke haze due to 100s of bushfires making the air quality up to 16 times hazardous levels. Millions of hectares burnt and massive loss of wildlife, livelihoods and biodiversity. Been going on for five weeks now. Thousands of holiday makers had to take refuse on beaches and near lakes to escape the flames. Freakish local weather causing tornado like events overturning 10 tonne emergency vehicles causing a loss in life. Atheists on TV saying they resorted to prayer. Lots of biblical references to Armageddon, apocalypse and gates of hell. Happy new year, eh?!