Australian Bushfire Crisis - How You Can Help Australian Bushfire Crisis - How You Can Help

Our hearts go out to those affected both wildlife & people and our amazing firefighters & support networks. It’s hard not to feel helpless & heartbroken with so much tragedy throughout our communities, but you can help! Below are some great ways to donate, volunteer, share information, provide support or make better lifestyle changes for the good of the planet. If we all band together we can rebuild, regrow and regenerate what has been lost and safeguard the future of our amazing planet & it’s precious wildlife.

The authorities have stated that the best way you can help right now is to donate money for relief efforts & to support those affected. Every little bit counts, so do what you can. Here are some great organizations to consider sending funds to;

Charities & Funds
Australian Red Cross Disaster Response & Recovery Fund
The Salvation Army Disaster Appeal
St Vincent De Paul Society Bushfire Appeal
Bendigo Bank Bushfire Disaster Appeal
South Australia Bushfire Appeal
Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund
Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal
Carbon8 Regenerative Agriculture
Foodbank

Local Firefighting Services
NSW Rural Fire Service
VIC Country Fire Authority
SA Country Fire Service
QLD Rural Fire Brigade
Tasmanian Fire Service
Western Australia Department of Fire & Emergency Services

Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation
Wildlife Victoria
WIRES Wildlife Rescue
Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
RSPCA Bushfire Appeal
WWF Help Save the Koalas
The Rescue Collective
Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park
Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary Fund

Monetary donations or gift cards from certain businesses are always best to send to wildlife rescue centers, but there are other ways to use you can assist to protect wildlife such as;

– Take domestic animals with you if you evacuate or keep cats indoors and dogs under control wherever possible so that wildlife can flee safely through your yard if needed.

– Keep a cardboard box and towel in the boot of your car in case you find an injured animal that you can safely contain without putting yourself in any danger.

– If you rescue an animal that has been burnt, do not attempt to feed it, please wrap it loosely, ideally in 100% cotton fabric, place it in a ventilated box with a lid and keep it in a dark, quiet place whilst waiting for a rescuer or for transport to the nearest vet.

– Do not approach injured snakes, flying-foxes, large macropods, raptors or monitors as these must be rescued by trained specialists

– Please take any injured wildlife to your nearest vet.

– Put water out for wildlife at all levels (do not use metal bowls). Use sticks or stones inside & nearby them on hot days – so that there is climb in and out points. If you have a pool, Always drape something over the edge of your pool so that animals have a surface to grab hold of and climb out. A length of heavy-duty rope or even a bodyboard, secured at one end to something heavy outside the pool, is ideal as it does not absorb water and provides a platform for an exhausted animal to rest on.

– Plant native trees & plants for birds & bees.

For more information visit Wildlife Victoria or WIRES Wildlife Rescue

Get Crafty

Want to help our injured wildlife with craft? From pouches, wraps, nests, sweaters and bird boxes there are all kinds of items Animal Rescue Craft Guild are looking for. Joey bags are in hot demand. However, always check the organization’s website first for necessity & requirements.

Unable to donate money? Why not give the gift of life by donating blood? Blood is urgently needed throughout the states and it costs nothing and means so much.

Give Blood

The donations of items are discouraged but some organizations are accepting & in need of certain goods. Make sure you check first before donating items and do not just drop things off unknowingly as it can hamper response efforts.

Charities such as Givit specialize in goods and provide a list of wanted items or you can register items you may have for people in need that can be reviewed. Maybe you have an unwanted Christmas gift? Consider registering them through the Givit website.

After some new artworks for your home? Check out ‘Art Fights Fire’ an online auction hosted by The Design Files who have teamed up with a long list of members of the art and design community that have donated works to sell, starting at 50% off their usual price. All proceeds will be donated to VIC Country Fire Authority and New South Wales’ WIRES Wildlife Rescue.

Love listening to amazing live music? Attend events & concerts near you where you can experience various local and international artists perform to support the bushfire crisis. Check out a list of these events HERE.

Another way to give to the bushfire relief is as simple as purchasing your morning coffee from the right place. Right now, if you spend your money in certain restaurants, food outlets or retailers, the proceeds of these sales will also count towards the bushfire aid.

Check out Broadsheet’s detailed list of hospitality companies participating HERE.

Many of the regions in Australia who have been affected by the devastating bushfires rely heavily on tourist dollars. So once these communities are deemed safe and are open again for business, it’s important to visit & buy from these towns.

Athlete, motivational speaker and burns victim Turia Pitt has set up @spendwiththem – a directory for fire-affected businesses that need your support. Check it out HERE or try @buyfromthebush, another great option.

Have a free room, spare bed or maybe holiday home that isn’t being used? Offer a place to stay for emergency housing for those that have been displaced or those that have lost their homes as a result of the bushfires. You can register your space through AirBnb Open Homes, Find A Bed or Helping Homes.

At Archiblox we have made several donations to the VIC Country Fire Authority and New South Wales’ WIRES Wildlife Rescue. We have also signed up to provide pro bono advice and assistance in design and planning approval services at Architects Assist for those who lost their homes in this tragedy. We encourage other architects or building design professionals to do the same. You can find more information HERE.

Looking for advice? Read our blog on > >

Designing & Building a Home in Bushfire Prone Areas

Want to take your efforts that one step further & make lasting change for the future of our country, wildlife & amazing planet? Below are some simple steps to implement in your daily life to take action on climate change & be heard.

– Use your car less – catch public transport or cycle
– Plant native trees
– Save Energy
– Eat more plant-based food
– Buy local or second-hand items
– Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
– Be an example to others
– Volunteer in conservation efforts
– Share information & talk to family & friends about the climate crisis
– Write to your local member
– Attend protests
– Support Petitions