Australian Bushfire Crisis Appeal
Australia is known for its bushfires during the summer seasons (December to March) but since September last year, Australia has been battling against one of its deadliest bushfire crises, which already has claimed close to a billion wild animals, thousands of homes, and several human lives, and seems to be not over yet despite the valiant efforts by the firefighters and the local and federal government.
If you’re capable and willing to lend a helping hand, please find some of the ways to support the causes you most feel for, which have been organised by the categories and the area for your convenience. We are also covering some useful tips and guide regarding the Australian bushfire season.
Which areas are affected by these bushfires?
Although, the bushfires are going on pretty much in all states and territories in Australia this season, but there are 4 main states that are severely affected by this year’s bushfire season.
- New South Wales – Mostly north coast, the mid-north coast and blue mountains area of the New South Wales state have been badly impacted by the bushfire season.
- Victoria – In southern parts of the state Victoria is severely impacted by the bushfires, especially East Gippsland and High Country (including Alpine Region).
- South Australia – Kangaroo Island has been badly damaged due to the fire and other areas including Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty Ranges, etc.
- Queensland – In Queensland, mostly southern-eastern, central, northern, and far northern Queensland including the Sunshine Coast region were affected by the blazes.
How to help the Australian bushfire victims, wildlife and firefighters?
There are many ways you can help as an international student in Australia during this bushfire crisis. However, we suggest you can help by:
- donating some money to the various registered organisations
- becoming a volunteer at one of the organisations that help bushfire victims and wildlife.
- spreading the word via your social media accounts
If you can’t afford to pay for the Australian Bush fire appeals then you can help by becoming a volunteer at one of the organisation that supports bush fire victims.
Becoming a volunteer can actually help you in lots of ways, for example:
- You can learn more about Australian slang and accent as you are likely to work with many locals. It will certainly help to boost your confidence as well.
- You also get to meet people from all walks of life and it gives you a chance to network with like-minded people who are willing to help the community.
- You represent your country and community in Australia and by helping people in need, you will help your community representation in Australia.
- It looks good on your resume. Australian employers certainly appreciate community-minded employees.
If you would like to donate money
You can consider donating money to the following organisations:
Help Victims
- The Salvation Army
- Australian Red Cross
- Vinnies
- Givit
- Foodbank
- Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund
- Bendigo Bank Bushfire Disaster Appeal
Help Firefighters
- New South Wales – NSW Rural Fire Service
- Victoria –Country Fire Authority
- Tasmania –Tasmania Fire Service
- South Australia –SA Country Fire Service
- Queensland –Rural Fire Brigade Association Queensland
- Western Australia –Department of Fire and Emergency Services
Help Wildlife
If you would like to become a volunteer
You can apply for volunteering in the following organisations:
How to stay safe this bushfire season?
While we are in the middle of the scorching summer and there is no end in sight for the bushfire season, here are few things we suggest to stay safe in Australia:
- Download app and regularly check website from your state fire authority website – [NSW] [VIC] [QLD] [SA] [TAS] [ACT] [WA] [NT]
- If you live in a bushfire prone area, then be ready with yourbushfire survival plan.
- Understand the Fire Danger Rating and warning signs.
- Wear masks and stay indoors if there is smoke outside.
- Always follow and listen to official news and warnings only.
Final notes
Last but not least, some scammers are using the Australian bushfire as an opportunity to scam people and take advantage of this unfortunate situation. We suggest you always check the details of the organisation before you are going to donate.
We would also like to thank all the firefighters, volunteers and everyone involved in fighting these fires and helping the community in any possible way.
If you can help us by sharing this article with others, it will be really helpful. Thank you for help.
