The fires in Australia are consuming so many of my thoughts recently. I wanted to pull some information together from our research to share. We are currently following many other travelers that are really engaged in things happening around the world. We have realized that others may not have as much exposure to this information. It’s important to understand the magnitude of this Australian bushfire disaster and help in anyway you can.

*All photos in this post are from our time there a few months ago. It looks very different currently and you can find images on most major news sites.

We were lucky enough to spend four weeks exploring the beautiful country in August and September. With two weeks on the east coast and two weeks in the Outback, we barely scratched the surface. There was a lot to love there, but there are two things that stand out the most about our time in the country.

The People

The people are so kind. No where else in the world did we encounter so many people that wanted to share a drink, a story or a hand with something. Within minutes of a conversation at a local pub, we felt welcomed. One guy even closed his retail store for a few minutes to show us his custom camper van he was building after a few seconds of conversation inside.

The Wildlife

The animals we got to see in the wild and at the conservation parks were incredible. Within 24 hours of landing in the country, we were feeding wallabies that were holding our hands with their paws as they nibbled away. We were lucky enough to spot wild Dingoes running near our campground in the Outback (no babies were taken). Learning about the Tasmanian devils was fascinating and we were impressed to hear about some of the conservation wins with the population being rebuilt because of their efforts.

The country is huge, the land is vast and pretty harsh in spots. What is happening to the country now is devastating. The people and the animals are being displaced and killed at alarming rates. They are losing their homes at a rapid pace. And there is no end in sight right now.

Some Numbers about the Australian Bushfires for Reference

  • Almost a half BILLION animals have died in the fires. Plus, Koalas have lost over a third of their habitat so far.
  • More than 7 million hectares of land are burned up. The picture below helps people understand the scale. Australia is about the same size as the United States.
  • At least 1700 homes are destroyed.
  • There are almost 3,000 fire fighters fighting this fire currently with Army reserves being called in.

How to Help Right Now with the Australian Bushfires

Give Money

Celeste Barber (one of the funniest people to follow on Instagram) is raising money for the fire fighters in NSW and the people that have been displaced. You can find the link to the Facebook fundraiser here.

The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has a GoFund me to help raise money to get water and help to the Koalas in the area. Click here to donate.

WIRES is another amazing animal organization that is helping with rescues. You can find the link to donate to them here.

St Vincent de Paul Society is working to help the displaced families. They have a great key on their donation page that lets you know how far your dollar will go. Just $50 will help feed a family that is without a home right now. Link here to donate.

There are so many organizations doing amazing things right now, so if these aren’t your jam – just find something and give a few dollars. I’ve seen first hand what communities can pull together with some financial resources and how much this can help people that have suffered a loss like this.

Share Information

The Golden Globes gave this emergency some much needed attention, but there are still a lot of people who don’t realize the severity of this. It’s good to share the pictures and information so people are aware.

Retweet, share on Instagram stories, talk about it over the water cooler. Use your channels. Share the information.

If you are looking for photos to share, click on this article. You can also follow this wonderful human who is sharing daily updates on the smoke and her surroundings.

Get Educated and Take Action

Learn about climate change. Being educated on the current issues will help you make adjustments in your own life to help. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and think that these small changes don’t make an impact, but any step forward is worth it even if it’s tiny.

VOTE. Make sure you are up to date on your local candidates and politicians on their plans for the climate. Is it a priority for them? If not, tell them it’s important to you. They represent you when making decisions. Write to them, call them and vote them out if you feel they aren’t representing you.

Final Thoughts

I wish there was so much more I could do to help. If I learn about new organizations or opportunities to help, I will make sure to share them as well. I would also encourage you to visit this beautiful country in the future and visit all those small towns. Buy cold beers in the friendly pubs, support all the small businesses and talk to all the kind and wonderful people.

Do what you can.