Australia Bushfires: How can you help?

Don’t just explore the world; make a contribution to save it.

The world is in times of distress. Natural or man-made disasters are taking us towards a mass extinction every single day. Bushfires are common in Australia, but this time it has been affected on a level, that we can only imagine from other corners of the world.

The horrific tragedy of houses, forests, families, and animals burning down is making all of us scared about what made this happen? And how can we help?

What exactly happened?

Australia has always been prone to wildfires. The eucalyptus forests in East Australia have evolved to survive such frequent fires, but animals and humans continue to suffer. Around 800 people have died in wildfires since 1851, while the count for animals is in billions.

It is the extremely high temperature, low humidity and strong winds that create conditions for rapid fire spread. However, it is not just the geographical features causing the tragedy, humans are also to be blamed. The spread of fire in December end and January has been the worst in decades.

The 2019-2021 fire season, started in June 2019 with hundreds of fires across the country.

The fire used to be a positive component of the Australian topography. Aboriginal Australians would use the natural fires to clear grasslands and pathways and prepare for a new cycle of cultivation, while European Settlers also adapted to the fire cycles and used them to enhance forest and agriculture management. The flora and fauna had adapted in fascinating ways to survive the fire season.

Then how did this tragic destruction of land, settlement and life commence? The fire season is not a slow season anymore, the spread of fires is faster than ever. No species or settlement can adapt to such a rapid increase in such a small period of time. Life in any form evolves itself across hundreds of years. However, the past two decades of rapid industrialization have brought all of us under hazard.

To give you some numbers, an estimate of 1.25 billion animals died in the wildfires, 28 people, including fire-fighters, have died nationwide. The state of New South Wales is the worst affected, where more than 3000 homes have been damaged or destroyed.

The sad part is that as of now there are 24 people charged with deliberately.

The 2009 fires were extremely devastating as well, but the fires of this year are also accompanied by a massive drought and a record-breaking heatwave. Directly or indirectly, we are all a part of the massive destruction that planet Earth is going through.

The cynical beauty of such disasters is that it doesn’t differentiate between anyone. Everyone, animals, humans, the poor and rich get affected. The underprivileged and animals get the worst of it, due to their inability to protect themselves. They are often left to the mercy of kind and courageous. State and Federal authorities along with multiple organisations are trying to combat, rescue and rehabilitate animals, humans and families of deceased. Here is how we can help them from across the world.

Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery

Donations at Red Cross go to a team that Salvation Army Disaster Appeal: They find their uniqueness is realizing there is no quick fix in periods of crisis, and believe in giving communities constant support for the time they require to truly heal and recover. Your money helps them to be on the ground where and when most needed, and sustain impact.

To donate: https://www.redcross.org.au/campaigns/disaster-relief-and-recovery-donate

Salvation Army Disaster Appeal

They find their uniqueness is realizing there is no quick fix in periods of crisis, and believe in giving communities constant support for the time they require to truly heal and recover. Your money helps them to be on the ground where and when most needed, and sustain impact.

To donate: https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/donate/make-a-donation/donate-online/?appeal=disasterappeal

St. Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Appeal (NSW)

As we read, NSW is the worst affected area right now. This link will allow you to direct your funding here. They also give you an idea about what will your money be used for, according to the amount you choose to donate. The option to donate in goods or supplies is always available.

To donate: https://donate.vinnies.org.au/appeals-nsw/vinnies-nsw-bushfire-appeal-nsw

Support the local brigade

The people putting their heart and body into the affected areas are the fire brigades. There voluntarily put themselves on the ground to rescue and save lives. The best way to support immediate action is to support a brigade in the community.

To donate: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/volunteer/support-your-local-brigade

It is also heartbreaking to see the huge population of animals dying out, with endangered species going extinct. Organizations specifically focusing on animals are also in need of your support.

Wires: https://www.wires.org.au/donate/emergency-fund
Animal Rescue Centre: https://m.facebook.com/groups/mkcfreecycle/
WWF: https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/bushfire-emergency#gs.ul7ea1

This link will lead you to a crowdfunding page that is specifically working towards helping Koalas caught in the fire: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-thirsty-koalas-devastated-by-recent-fires

Apart from this, it is essential to remember that in the end, it is the climate change that is making natural disasters more frequent and hazardous. Our everyday choices are as important as any donation we make.

We hope as a community we constantly work with empathy and make choices keeping in mind everyone on the planet.

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Thanks for reading.

Have a good day!
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