Australia has been ravished from devastating fires that have been roaring through the country since October. 15.6 million acres have been burned, destroying homes and businesses and killing 25 people and an estimated 1 billion animals. Here’s where you can donate to help Australia.
But first, let’s talk about climate change.
via Matthew Abbott for The New York Times
Experts say that Australia’s dry season was particularly lengthy and detrimental this year due to impacts from climate change. Climate change is going to increase both the frequency and intensity of natural disasters like wildfires by increasing temperatures and lengthening the dry season.
It is vital that we take climate action now to mitigate the future impacts that climate change could have on our world. Cut your meat consumption, buy secondhand and push for climate policy at the local and national levels. If action isn’t taken now, these fires will become the new normal.
Where to donate:
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The New South Wales Rural Fire Service is a volunteer-based agency that is on the front lines of fighting the fires. All donations go towards supporting the volunteer brigades.
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The Australia Country Fire Authority
The CFA is promoting four different avenues of giving to support their firefighting efforts. You can either donate to help communities in need through the Victorian Bushfire Appeal, support volunteer firefighters through the Volunteer Welfare Fund, or directly to the CFA or their Brigades.
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Donations to the Koala Hospital are being used directly to support the rehabilitation of koalas harmed in the fires. The website is facing unprecedented demand due to donations, so they ask to try again in a few days if transaction time is particularly slow. You can also donate to their GoFundMe here.
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The Australian Red Cross is using donations to deploy trained volunteers to impacted communities and is issuing emergency grants to those who will need financial assistance to recover from the fires.
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The WWF is planning to help reforest the area faced with disaster when the fires subside and are committed to long-term conservation efforts in the region.
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GIVIT is a non-profit using 100% of the money they receive to provide victims of the fire with the items they need most, such as backpacks and clothing.
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WIRES is a wildlife rescue group in Australia that is working tirelessly to rescue injured and orphaned animals that were impacted by the fires. All donations to their emergency fund go straight to their rescue efforts.
Kayla Guilliams
is the blog manager for Zero Waste Club, combining her love for writing with her passion for all things environmental sustainability. She is currently a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is studying journalism, environmental studies, and food studies in hopes of building a career in environmental activism. You can find her on Instagram as @kaylaguilliams.