From Guest Blogger Jenna Tsui: About Australia’s Wildfires and How You Can Help

Australia is facing one of the worst fire seasons that it’s ever seen. While heavy rains have started to fall, bringing some respite to exhausted firefighters and frightened citizens, these blazes have torn through more than 10 million hectares, taking the lives of 29 people and more than a billion animals as of the time of this writing.

What caused these record-breaking wildfires, how much damage have they done, and what can you to help even if you don’t call Australia home?

A Wildfire Timeline

The story of these massive wildfires actually starts back in September of 2018, when Australia experienced its longest drought in recent memory. It stretched back into 2017, making the majority of the Australian landscape ripe for burning should a wildfire spark. This series of blazes started in October 2019 as part of the country’s annual brushfire season. The extended drought meant that the fires were larger, more intense and more difficult to put out.

In November 2019, both Queensland and New South Wales declared a state of emergency as fires continued to spread through both November and December.

At the beginning of December, the United States and Canada deployed their firefighters to Australia for the first time ever. Toward the end of this month, in the middle of the country’s summer months, Australia experienced it’s the hottest weather ever, with ambient temperatures reaching above 105 degrees Fahrenheit. This, along with a lack of rain, made it challenging or downright impossible for firefighters to put out the blazes.

Toward the end of December, the fires continued to spread, with storms in Victora creating so much smoke that they were even generating their own weather patterns. By the beginning of December, Victoria had declared a state of disaster.

By the time of this writing (Jan 17th, 2020), the fires have decimated 10 million hectares of landscape, taking 29 human lives and untold numbers of animal lives.

Lightning Strikes or Human Malice?

While some of the brushfires tearing their way across the Australian landscape might be natural, not all of them are. At least 24 people have been arrested for setting brushfires during the current fire season — which dates back to the beginning of October 2019. This hasn’t stopped some news outlets, both in Australia and internationally, from inflating those numbers, printing stories about how upwards of 200 people have been arrested in relation to the fires.

According to a representative of the Rural Fire Service, there is no evidence to indicate that the larger fires were the result of arson or human malice. Most of them were caused by lightning, according to local experts. While terrible, the majority of these brushfires are natural occurrences, simply exacerbated by the extended dry conditions.

Rain and Respite

Most of the world has been praying for rain to fall on the African landscape. This past week, their prayers were answered as heavy rains started to fall on most of the continent’s eastern coast. That rain, along with smaller storms that have happened earlier in the month, has started offering a brief respite to exhausted firefighters and emergency crews. While they won’t put all of the fires, it should help to slow their spread, making it easier for firefighters to do their jobs.

Unfortunately, there are side effects to this heavy rain too. The ash run-off into rivers and lakes is killing fish, and there is the possibility of flooding as rains hit soil that’s been affected by drought conditions for more than three years. Still, Australian citizens would rather have rain with the possibility of floods than the fires that have been threatening their lives for over a month.

Fighting the Fires

Australia is requesting the help of volunteers, from nurses to wildlife conservationists and, of course, firefighters. Firefighters — both professional and volunteer — from every part of Australia have been working tirelessly to protect property and lives while slowing down the spread of these brutal brushfires.

A professional firefighter makes about $45,000 per year, but what about the volunteers that choose to spend their time-saving lives for no recompense? Those that have been helping to protect the people of Australia, at least, will be receiving some compensation.

Volunteer firefighters in New South Wales will be receiving $300 a day up to $6,000 if they’re needed for more than 10 days during the fire season. These volunteer firefighters may also be eligible for up to four weeks of unpaid leave, courtesy of the local government, to protect them from financial loss while they work, allowing them to keep fighting the wildfires.

Helping from Afar

If you’re not in Australia or in the position to offer your services as a volunteer firefighter, what can you do to help wildfire recovery?

If you’re international, donating money is the best thing you can do, but make sure you’re choosing charities that are actively supporting firefighting and recovery efforts. Some fire services are taking direct donations so your money will go directly to support those fighting the blazes. Additionally, donations of money for wildlife and ecosystem restoration will help those that are working to save the lives of animals injured by the fires.

Looking Forward

This may be one of the most dangerous and costly fire seasons in recent history, but with the help of brave firefighters in the country, and with donations from around the world, those impacted areas will recover. It will take some time, but brushfires are a part of life on the continent. Climate changes may be making them worse, but humans are inifitnely adaptable and we’ll always find a way to bounce back.