On Monday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian declared a state of emergency in response to the ferocious bushfires that have so far claimed three lives.
The announcement comes after it was reported the Greater Sydney and Great Hunter areas are forecasted to face catastrophic fire conditions on Tuesday.
“Catastrophic conditions are where lives are lost,” NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons explains.
“It’s where people die.”
So, for those wanting to help, what exactly can be done?
Here, we have put together a list of four tangible ways you can make a much-needed difference.
Donate to the Australian Red Cross
The Australian Red Cross team work to support bushfire-affected areas and communities. They need donations, so they can provide support as soon as possible when emergency strikes.
Their website says that although donating items is appreciated, money is more helpful for communities recovering from bushfires so that they can make their own choices.
You can donate to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery here.
Donate to The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) is supporting bushfire-affected communities. 12 evacuation centres are currently active across NSW and Queensland.
They explain exactly where your money could go.
- $80 "can help to provide household essentials during an emergency."
- $125 "can help reach isolated families in an emergency."
- $250 "can help provide urgent immediate assistance, like food and shelter."
- $1,000 "can go towards ongoing care and support in the aftermath of the emergency."
You can donate to The Salvation Army here.
Help the koalas
As many as 350 koalas have been burnt to death in the Port Macquarie region during the NSW bushfires.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital who are in desperate need of funds to help distribute water stations in the affected fire regions to prevent any further koalas dying from dehydration.
You can donate to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital here.
Rallies
Some rallies are being set up across the state to encourage the government to do more about climate change.
An event is being held on Tuesday by School Strike 4 Climate, that will congregate outside the NSW parliament.
"On Tuesday the NSW Parliament will be debating a bill to remove consideration of climate change for new coal mines and gas-fields," the page states, referencing the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Territorial Limits) Bill 2019.
"Join us outside NSW Parliament this Tuesday to call on our politicians NOT to pass this damaging bill, and instead increase funding to emergency services."
You can view the event here.
For up-to-date information on the bushfire emergency, including evacuation warnings, visit the NSW Rural Fire Service website.
Top Comments
Your local branch of the SES provides valuable assistance to the firies during this time, so you could also donate to them, as they always need equipment and resources.
The other thing we could all do is not vote in Liberal party governments who ignore advice from experts, who cut fire budgets and who offer "thoughts and prayers" during the worst start to the fire season ever, rather than facing some hard truths. It's not even summer yet, it's going to get bad, people.
Good to know that there have never been any bushfires when Labor was in Government.
It's the fact that his government have stripped fire management funding and have ignored expert advice on how best to prepare for this season, which is tipped to be really bad, as already demonstrated. And then lied and blamed the Greens, when the Greens support fuel reduction burning and aren't in even in power, anyway. It's utterly pathetic. Maybe keep up with what is actually going on.