Unless you’ve been on holiday on Mars for the last couple of months, the news that Australia is suffering from the largest scale bush fires on record will be something you’re only too aware of.
It’s very hard to grasp exactly how big a problem this actually is, particularly in countries like the UK where wildfires aren’t something that affects us, so a bit of research and the following details begin to emerge:
As of 7th January, 25.5 million acres or 10.5 million hectares of land has been affected by the fires. That’s 32,000 square miles. For those of us in the UK, that’s an area that runs from Portsmouth in the South, as far North as Coventry and from Bath in the West all the way across to London in the East. Another way of putting it, is the whole of Belgium – burned and still ablaze with little end in sight. To try to visualise the fire-front itself is to imagine a picture of Hell… Imagine an unbroken line of fire, stretching from The East Coast of the USA to the West Coast, then back again, then heading back yet again, to the West Coast and getting at least as far as Indiana. That’s the fire-front in a single state alone! More than 1,000 homes have been destroyed, 24 people have lost their lives and estimates are that somewhere between 500 million and 1 billion animals have been burned to death a figure that beggars belief.
We at Orange would like to ask a favour of you guys – Please share the following links with as many people as you can. You don’t have to share our posts, take any mention of us out if you prefer – this isn’t a PR exercise as this message is too important. If you’re able to donate a small amount to one of these charities that’s wonderful but that’s your business. This is just our way of helping ensure that any donations you do make actually go to where they will make a difference. There are many other organisations out there and all are just as worthy but here’s some selected by us:
The NSW Rural Fire Service
These guys are volunteers! Donations made to the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS), or your local Rural Fire Brigade, directly benefit volunteer firefighters and are always gratefully received. These proceeds directly assist brigades in conducting their community activities.
The Salvation Army Australia
Feeding and supporting the firefighters and evacuees is a major military exercise but fortunately, there is an army ready and willing to help. The Salvos are right there at the front line.
The Australian Red Cross
Supporting thousands of people in evacuation centres and recovery hubs across Australia.
WIRES Australia
WIRES (NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc.) is Australia’s largest wildlife rescue organisation. WIRES has been rescuing and caring for wildlife for over 30 years and WIRES mission is to actively rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife and inspire others to do the same.