Bushfires followed by intense rain can cause unsettled sediment and debris to contaminate local water reservoirs. Melbourne's water authority invested in catchments to combat this threat, though scientists are still trying to understand when and how these debris flows occur. Meredith Rizzo/NPR hide caption
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Smoke from bushfires shrouds the Melbourne city skyline. Hazardous breathing conditions prompted Australian Open officials to suspend practice sessions on Tuesday. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images hide caption