Australian nature photographer, Murray Lowe, decided he’d had enough of capturing beautiful sunrise scenes and chose to show the world how much fire had destroyed his lovely country. The 71-year-old lives in Kulnura, New South Wales, and of the 15.6 million acres of land that have been scorched in Australia by wildfires, NSW was the worst hit. With over 2,000 homes razed to the ground, the state has many years of recovery ahead of it [1].

Lowe was driving past the Dhurag National Park, a 14,850-hectare protected park that had been closed off due to fire threat when he was struck by the inspiring scene. Formerly home to thousands of beautiful flora and fauna including the Gymea lily, the Dhurag Park had been reduced to charred dust as puffs of ashes rose in the air with each step of his feet.

“The ground puffed up ash into the air from each footstep as we walked among the tree trunks in the eerie silence and stillness that only fires of this intensity can produce in aftermath,” said Lowe, a retired vehicle inspector.

However, as he wrote on a Facebook post, “Even without any rain, life bursts through the burnt bark from the heart of the trees and the life cycle begins again.” 

He took stunning photos of green grass, maple and rose-colored leaves bursting through the ashes, staying lush and fresh amidst the destruction, as though insisting that life must prevail [2].  There’d been light rain that morning and he noticed ants and other insects sucking on drops of water on the leaves, evidence of ecosystems thriving once again. The photo went viral in a matter of days and has received positive comments from all over the world, with many Australians thrilled that their home has begun the healing process so quickly.

Read: “Wildlife Warriors”: Steve Irwin’s Family Helps Over 90,000 Animals as Fires Rage in Australia

Evolution after decades of wildfires

According to Dr. Kimberly Simpson, a fire ecology expert at the University of Sheffield, many species native to Australia have experienced constant fires for millions of years, so much that the plants have evolved with the ability to recover quickly after being burnt [3].

Simpson explains that it is “common to see a rapid greening of the ground after fire” because small seedlings take advantage of sufficient light and nutrients released from the ashes. 

Epicormic buds are found in many woody species, such as the eucalyptus trees. These buds lie dormant beneath the bark and are insulated from heat destruction. Under certain conditions, such as fire damage to the higher and outer parts of the plants, the buds can become active and begin to shoot. This is why many scorched trees can recover after a while.

The roots of shrubs and grasses are protected by a layer of soil resistant to heat from fire and they can regrow immediately the flames have died down.

However, Simpson is not certain about these phenomena being at play because the processes need rain to occur and before the time of Lowe’s photos, there had been no rain. She’s also not certain what the future holds for regeneration in other parts of Australia since this year’s fires were beyond control.

“We may see local extinctions in cases where species are pushed beyond their ability to recover,” she suggested. However, regeneration can occur over a period of years and there’s hope for the ecosystems of the country.

With 29 people and nearly a billion animals recorded dead, Australia has seen very dark times since September last year. More than 3,000 homes have been destroyed and several thousands of people displaced.

Click HERE to find credible links to donate to fire departments and volunteer stations in several states across the country. You may not be able to physically lend a hand to the fight but your prayers and financial aids will go a long way.

Image Credits: Murray Lowe via Facebook

Read More: Australia is Dropping Vegetables From Choppers to Feed Wildlife Starved by Fires

The post Amazing Photos Show Plants Already Re-Growing Through Ashes in a Burnt Australian Forest appeared first on The Hearty Soul.