Bushfires will lead to long-term population loss for some animal species, scientists warn.

Axar.az reports citing Anadolu Agency that Australia's "terrible" air quality is taking a toll on public health, with hospitals crowded with patients suffering heart and lung damage, said an expert.

"The air quality over Sydney and Canberra, the capital of Australia, has been appalling," Pep Canadell, a scientist at the Climate Science Centre of Australia, told Anadolu Agency by e-mail.

“Hospitals have been full of people with respiratory and heart conditions, and time will show the true impact when research is done on the health of the population.”

Warning of the devastating effects of the super fires on wildlife, Canadell said it will destroy habitats, leading to many species suffering long-term falls in populations.

In addition to the physical effects of the fires on human health and the environment, Klatovsky said the bushfires have also affected people psychologically.