Australian Bushfires: What to Read and How to Help

At the time of writing, Australia has been on fire for almost five months. In recent days much needed rainfall has, at last, brought some relief to the country but more than 60 fires are still burning in the states of New South Wales and Victoria.

Since making the front page news in September 2019, some of the most devastating headlines have been ringing in our collective eardrums – so far 33 people have died, along with an estimated one billion animals. 17.1 million hectares have been destroyed: that’s more than two-thirds the size of the United Kingdom.

Those are some of the headlines, but there are a host of incredible articles which offer some of the best insight to the cause, effect and solutions of the problem at hand. We have collated a few of them to offer you easily digestible and actionable information, as well as some of the key charities you can donate to.

What to Read

BBC News:
Australia fires: A visual guide to the bushfire crisis

Green Peace:
Fact Check: Australia’s unprecedented fires are down to climate change, not arson

Insider:
Australia’s bushfires are ravaging the country. Here’s how it all happened.

How to Help

WWF

• Providing emergency funds to care for injured wildlife
• After the fires clear, helping restore homes for koalas and other wildlife, planting the first 10,000 trees urgently needed in koala habitats
• Supporting the response, recovery and restoration teams in any other way we can
• Helping pressure governments to strengthen laws that prevent excessive tree-clearing, before it’s too late

Red Cross

• Red Cross is providing emergency grants of $10,000 to people whose homes have been destroyed in a bushfire since July 2019.
• On the ground disaster services
  $5m for 24/7 support, including evacuations, relief centres, deploying our emergency teams, training and wellbeing
• supporting bushfires and other Australian disasters since July 2019
• Immediate bushfires support
• $1m for families who have lost a loved one
• $30m for emergency grants for people who have lost their homes (690 grants totallling $6.9m given so far)

The rest of the funds for bushfires, currently $61m for immediate and longer term support will include more financial assistance and individual and community supports an expert advisory panel and the Red Cross are driving the allocation of the funds to the greatest needs announcements will be made as funds are allocated we will continue to be transparent Three-year bushfire recovery program $18m to support community recovery

Wires

• Improve our capability to rescue and care for more animals
• Operate our Wildlife Rescue Office 365 days a year
• Subsidise food costs for wildlife in care
• Provide community wildlife information and education
• Provide wildlife training courses for volunteers and the community
• Support our volunteers
• Grow our service so that we can help wildlife for generations to come

Photography:
Hero: Byron Ross / Greenpeace
Map: BBC News
Wildfires: EPA
Sydney Opera House: GETTY IMAGES

Tala is not affiliated with any news agency or charity listed in this blog.