(CNN) — Actor Russell Crowe’s rural New South Wales property, which was scorched by the massive bushfires that have been burning through Australia, underwent a dramatic transformation after recent heavy rains in the area.
The Academy Award winner tweeted a photo of part of the property taken 10 weeks ago, after the fire tore through it, and the same scene taken again Monday morning.
Crowe has used his massive social media platform to share images of the devastation from the bushfires, which have been burning for months, and raise money for volunteer firefighters. Almost 30 people have been killed, and, in New South Wales alone, more than 3,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged.
Crowe said in November that while he lost a couple buildings he had been “very lucky.”
This year’s fire season is proving to be one of the worst in Australian history, exacerbated by persistent heat and drought caused by climate change.
Storms that passed through parts of the country have brought some relief, but the situation is still dire.
Significant amounts of flora and fauna unique to Australia have been burned or killed. One group of ecologists estimated that perhaps a billion animals have been affected nationwide. Some towns have been running out of water. Others have gone up in flames completely.
Crowe did not attend this month’s Golden Globes ceremony so he could be in Australia to protect his family from the fires. When he won best actor in a TV series, limited series or TV movie for his role on “The Loudest Voice,” Jennifer Aniston read his speech for him. In it, Crowe called on authorities to do more to combat the climate crisis.
“Make no mistake the tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate change-based. We need to act based on science, move our global work force to renewable energy and respect our planet for the unique and amazing place it is. That way we all have a future,” Crowe wrote, according Aniston’s reading of the speech.
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