Location of Wildfires in Northern Australia Territory & Surrounding Sydney Region 

We decided to utilize ArcGIS Pro to visualize the location of wildfires in the Northern Territory (NT) and Sydney. A 10 mile buffer is added to signify the potential environmental, infrastructure, and health impact of the wildfires. The buffer also highlights the spread of smoke in nearby areas; keep in mind, wildfire smoke particles can spread up to hundreds and thousands of miles, harming the respiratory health of all individuals within the radius. In a sparsely populated rural area like the Northern Territory, the dense data cluster of wildfires underscore the lack of fire monitoring and prevention efforts. The overlapping data points darken the buffer, indicating extreme levels of  concentration of wildfire smoke and high fire intensity. Indigenous communities in these regions are most vulnerable and at risk to fire-related casualties and health problems and displacement. Many Indigenous tribes in Australia have a strong cultural connection with the land. For instance, Korff (2021) emphasizes that “Aboriginal law and spirituality are intertwined with the land.” To Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander folks, the obliteration of their land exterminates their culture. Because Sydney has a dense population, their government has a stronger incentive to protect its people and ensure funding to fire protection and safety services. Since more non-Indigenous people live in Sydney, they likely do not have a strong cultural tie to the land. They may view wildfires as a threat to economic development and established infrastructure rather than the centuries of Indigenous practices and traditions that revolve around land. Moreover, people have more access to health care services, which the NT lacks. Wildfires are both devastating to both groups, but unfortunately,  one can understand that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations in NT do not experience the consequences of wildfires like non-Indigenous people in Sydney.