Media outlets around the world continue to react to the dozens of blazes burning across the country with the New York Times taking aim at Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

With 96 bush and grass fires still burning in NSW - 47 of which are not contained - photos of Sydney’s sepia-toned sky and blood red sun continue to dominate social media feeds.

Global publications and angered readers have shown no mercy, blaming the Australian government and their failure to address the current climate crisis while calling the nation “the indirect architect of its own demise”.

In the midst of loss and tragedy for many Australian families, Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s leadership has been harshly spotlighted by international media.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia, assailed by critics for his inaction on climate change, acknowledged Friday that the smoke plaguing Sydney “has been very distressing to people.” He recommended downloading an app that tracks the bush fires. https://t.co/vapqPgB448 — New York Times World (@nytimesworld) December 6, 2019

The thick grey smoke that has blanketed the city’s skyline and coast for days looks “as if the country were being devoured by a chemical reaction”, award-winning novelist Anna Funder described in The New York Times, writing that the failure of the government to acknowledge the current climate crisis “is literally choking our children”.

“The response has been to double down on denialism,” director of the Sydney Environment Institute at the University of Sydney, David Schlosberg, told the publication.

The author of the Times piece wrote that the government, in refusing to address the threat of climate change, is “favouring the country’s powerful fossil fuel industry over its largest city, as well as the rural areas where fires have already destroyed hundreds of homes”.

We wouldn't be in the mess if our government acted in the Australian people's interest. Thanks to #koalakiller we're going to feel the repercussions of this government and poor environmental care for many more years to come. — Wyndham Hardman (@Wyndy_m9) 6 December 2019

As the New York Times wrote, the Prime Minister has avoided addressing his inaction on climate change and instead, “he recommended downloading an app that tracks the bush fires”.

The article was flooded with angry Twitter comments, from Australian and international users who couldn’t contain their frustration.

“I would like an app that gives instant polling so the Government can see what we think of them,” wrote one reader.

Another added, “We feel you, signed California.”

Many have even begun drawing links between the Australian fires and those in California, highlighting a disparity in world coverage.

Readers of The Guardian have echoed the sentiment, with one responding to footage of the NSW “megafire” with: “Oh look. Scott Morrison’s climate policy in glorious technicolour” and another saying, “This looks like hell.”

“Here we are in the worst bushfire season we’ve ever seen, the biggest drought we’ve ever had, Sydney surrounded by smoke, and we’ve not heard a boo out of a politician addressing climate change,” climate scientist Sarah Perkins-Kilpatrick told the British publication.

“They’re burying their heads in the sand while the world is literally burning around them and that’s the scary thing. It’s only going to get worse.”

This is the terrifying moment firefighters in Australia were forced to run to escape an 'explosion of fire' in the trees overhead. No crew members were injured. Australia's unprecedented bushfires have been burning for weeks https://t.co/htQbx4dPxn#NSWfires #NSWbushfires pic.twitter.com/biqb3ivTr0 — The Guardian (@guardian) December 6, 2019

Asian publications like the Straits Times and South China Morning Post have written extensively about Sydney’s poor air quality, drawing comparisons between the city and Shanghai.

“The Australian city of Sydney is world famous for its shimmering harbour and clear blue skies,” the Straits Times wrote.

“Not this summer.”

According to health officials, the thick smoke haze has led to a 25 per cent increase in people presenting in emergency departments for asthma and breathing problems.

“Desperately sad,” commented one reader.

“The ‘lucky country’ no more.”

Smoke shrouded Sydney and surrounding areas after wildfires continued, causing hazy conditions.



Around 25 fires were burning across New South Wales, killing at least six and destroying dozens of homes. https://t.co/DnGd2s1Ex7 pic.twitter.com/VO5GTN7pwc — ABC News (@ABC) December 5, 2019

America’s ABC News shared footage of Sydney’s hazy conditions, prompting angry reactions from followers, who demanded that the government take responsibility.





CNN documented the nation’s tragic transformation - from blue skies to shades of grey - in a before and after comparison piece. The photos painted a grim picture of the “longest and most widespread” period of air pollution NSW has ever seen.

Thick smoke from Australia's catastrophic bushfires is still enveloping parts of Sydney, leaving residents to breathe hazardous air after skies turned orange and brown https://t.co/L8NAIKef6M pic.twitter.com/zJs7IAax0F — CNN International (@cnni) December 6, 2019

More than 2,000 firefighters from three countries are battling blazes ripping across bush in Australia.



Sydney has been left shrouded in a thick soup of red smoke after 'out of control' blazes took hold of an area larger than Shropshire.



More: https://t.co/XMQiiJfFQi pic.twitter.com/Dg7XC8ZQJh — ITV News (@itvnews) December 6, 2019

Fears grow about Sydney after Australia fires merge into giant blaze https://t.co/d5P4hmPPXs via @TOIWorld pic.twitter.com/NfWMeH8yrI — Times of India (@timesofindia) December 7, 2019

For those unfamiliar with Australia, it is hard to comprehend the scale of the ongoing bushfires - currently “too big to put out”.



Here are two maps - New York & London - to show the scale of what has burnt since the start of the fire season (Aug 2019) in NSW & QLD pic.twitter.com/NihvRWPGnV — Dr Alexandra Phelan (@alexandraphelan) December 7, 2019

Us: “Welcome to Australia’s international city! You may remember we hosted the Olympics and have the most recognisable harbour and beaches in the world! ☺️”



The world: https://t.co/w6DiHzu4dl — Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) December 7, 2019

DownUnder has a California-style problem with out-of-control fires. https://t.co/uoDo47iObf Horrific. Wish our Aussie friends rain, cooler temps, less wind, and good luck! — Doug Bandow (@Doug_Bandow) December 7, 2019

Desperate for people to understand a whole country is burning, a man posting under the name Nigel Lake on Twitter shared a stirring poem dedicated to our scorched country.

How good are 90 bushfires?! pic.twitter.com/gBPJig5tcS — Nigel Lake 🧢 (@Nigel_Lake) December 7, 2019

The prose was titled “How good are 90 bushfires?!” - a play on the climax of ScoMo’s victory speech in which he declared ‘How good is Australia!’

“Brilliant!!! Can’t stop crying and mourning for our beautiful land,” said one reader.

In a sea of images being posted online - many showing the devastation of the fires and the wall of flames our fire crews are up against - one furious Twitter user wrote, “I don’t want the Prime Minister’s thoughts and prayers.”

This is 15km from my home. Wind is driving it towards us. I don’t want the Prime Minister’s thoughts and prayers. Do something. Lead. Acknowledge our suffering and fear. Nope he went to have Christmas drinks with Lachlan Murdoch. pic.twitter.com/aOgMLq42WM — Kate Blackwell (@Kanimbla2) December 7, 2019

Why have you not called a national emergency @ScottMorrisonMP ? While you may believe in the Rapture, there are 25 million of us that effing don’t. Areas the size of UK, Germany and France have burned so what are you waiting for FFS. — 💧Sheila Smart 📸 (@Smartsheila) December 7, 2019

As one nation’s climate crisis burns bright, many have pointed to the potential damage caused in surrounding nations. As ash rained down on New Zealand’s glaciers - even turning some pink - many questioned whether the heat from ongoing fires would see “one climate disaster accelerate another”.

50 years ago, scientists were considering how to use soot to melt glaciers to produce more fresh water. https://t.co/XYt9Dhe3MY



https://t.co/sNPZ0YyLqx — Steve Milloy (@JunkScience) December 7, 2019

Taken last night in Taranaki, NZ of the moon. This red moon is due to the fires in NSW Australia and the smoke travelling across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand ... pic.twitter.com/xVlQ6TWSx1 — Ko Teremoana Toku Ingoa (@MzPolynesian) December 7, 2019

Former Pime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s words hit home, as he shared a photo of a smog-covered city on a flight back home. “I have flown back into Sydney many times but never to a sight like this,” he shared on Instagram.

“The reality of climate change - hotter and drier means more fires.”