If you are an active listener of the radio or watcher of the news, you have probably heard about the bushfires catastrophe still going strong in the new decade. You have also probably heard about some of the highest summer temperatures in Australia ever recorded that are around 1.52% higher than the average summer temperature from 1960-1990. What you probably didn’t know is that 2019 was notably the year when the number of rainfall was lower than the average by the whopping 40%. 

Australia’s Climate Council released a report back in 2014 about climate change being the epitome of the wildfire issue. According to them, “Climate change is making hot days hotter, and heatwaves longer and more frequent. Some parts of Australia are becoming drier”. As the temperature goes up, the likelihood of vegetation drying up becomes higher. Consequently, the environment has a higher chance of blowing up in a nationwide fire like the one the Australians are experiencing at the moment. 
Since the beginning of the year, the lives of 24 people were lost and 2 people are still missing. Almost half a billion animals have died from the widely spread across the New South Wales fires. One-third of the Koalas population has been erased from the Australian ground and a third of their environment has been completely and utterly destroyed. Animal species native to Australia like the Regent Honeyeater, Glossy Black-Cockatoo, Greater Glider and Quokkas are just a few of those whose further existence is at risk. And if these numbers don’t speak volumes to you, consider the number of acres burnt across the entire 6 states of Australia – it reaches the epic 14.7 million. For the reference, the size of Belgium and Haiti combined is smaller than this. The policy analyst from the Australian Conservation Foundation James Trezise claims that this is merely “the tip of the iceberg”.

Thousands of Australian citizens have been evacuated from their homes as a result. The Morrisson government made an order to send military ships and aircrafts to deliver food and water to the places where the power is cut-off. There are currently over 2000 firefighters working non-stop and assisting both people and animals in these deadly conditions. There are rescue and search campaigns all over the area doing their best to find the missing people and rescue those in need. This natural calamity has forced people to leave their normal daily routines behind and unify in order to be of service for their beloved motherland.

Regardless of the many efforts undertaken by the authoritative figures along with the Australian citizens themselves, the summer season is not over anytime soon. This means that the fires will perhaps carry on for at least one to two more months. This also means that the deterioration of the environment is on the schedule as well.

Our team at Chic Every Weather could not disregard this widespread issue. For this reason, we decided to participate in the process of contributing to the betterment of the quickly distributing wildfires. We are starting a campaign #AustraliaEmergency to raise awareness, through our app, and funds that would help those who suffered from the devastating fires. Check out the ways you can help and get involved now:

• Help those who lost their homes to the bushfires by donating to the Disaster Relief and Recovery at the Australian Red Cross. Your donation will aid communities in the preparation for upcoming disasters and the speedy recovery.

• Save Koala and preserve the worldwide population of Koalas by adopting a Koala at the Australia Koala Foundation. Your contribution can prevent the extensive wiping out of Koalas and even allow you to adopt a Koala and care for it. 

• Protect the animals from enduring the cruel effects of the bushfires by donating to the bushfire appeal at RSPCA NSW. You can make a difference by helping out the members of the non-for-profit organization to take care of the animals in the affected areas.

• Shop at Vinnies and donate to the cause at the St Vincent de Paul Society. Choose your preferred amount and help a family to pay their bills or to restore their destroyed house. 

• Support firefighters who risk their lives to save all the living things by donating to the Australian Rural Fire Service Association. The RFSA team supplies the victims of the bushfires with practical things like hygiene products, clothes and refreshments.

• Refuse single-use plastic and adopt a more environmentally-conscious lifestyle. Not everyone has the funds to donate to a cause, but everyone surely has the opportunity to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. You don’t need to make any drastic changes straight away – a small step like the purchase of a reusable tote bag for grocery shopping is already a great contribution. Follow the ‘Three R’s” rule, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, and you will start doing wonders for the environment in no time.     

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About The Author

 Anastasia Hamurari

Anastasia is a 22-year old digital storyteller who finds joy in communicating her passion for all things travel, fashion and lifestyle through words. You will find her most of the time either chatting with a stranger about climate change or reading a book about world history. She hopes to collaborate with big brands and tell their stories to the public one day.