I would truely encourage you people to spread this info, help out, talk about it around you... It is a heartbreaking news and blog that @akiramai made and I feel like it needs to be seen! So I'm reposting it here to hopefully reach a few more people!
Hey SG Land,
This is a bit of a different blog post than I usually write,
As I'm sure you're all aware, the Australian fires have gotten out of control. It is now estimated that over 1 billion of our wildlife has been incinerated. Atleast 25 people have lost their lives. Thousands of homes have been destroyed.
The total areaburnedacross NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania has now reached 8.4m hectares – an area larger than Scotland.
In NSW alone, (Where I am from), 4.9m hectares has been burned. This is the largest area destroyed in the state since records began. I'm lucky that where my family home is in Sydney, the most they're dealing with is thick plumes of smoke - but not everyone has been so lucky.
Earlier in December, the smoke was so bad in Sydney that air quality measured 11 times the hazardous levels. The temperature has sored up to 49 degrees celcius (120.2 F). The bushfires have started to make their own weather systems.
There are ways we can help. There are hundreds of organizations accepting donations. Even if you don't have money to spare, You can donate pillowcases for wildlife, if you're a sewer you can craft blankets, mittens and more.
Here are a list of some of the places that you can donate:
Donate directly
The various state fire services all have options to donate money directly.
Some states give you the option to donate to the firefighters as a whole, or to specific brigades. You can also donate specifically to the families of firefighters who have died fighting the blazes.
Rural fire services - NSW RFS: The RFS also has a specific page to donate to the families of Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew O’Dwyer from the Horsley Park brigade, and Samuel McPaul from the Morven brigade, who died while fighting fires in December.
Queensland fires - In Queensland, Fire and Rescue advise that you can donate both money and items through the website
Victoria fires - In Victoria, the Country Fire Authority has two bank accounts, one for specific brigades and one for the general fund.
South Aus fires - In South Australia, the Country Fire Service accepts donations through the CFS Foundation
Donating Supplies
People can also donate supplies, goods, clothing and more – either directly to evacuation centres, or via other charities.
Victorian Bushfire Appeal - Every dollar raised will go towards immediate support for those who have lost everything.
Donating to wildlife
Animals and wildlife have also been devastated by the fires
NSW - In NSW, people can donate to the Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service (WIRES), which is running a bushfire emergency appeal via Facebook donations.
Victoria - In Victoria, people can donate to Wildlife Victoria.
SA - In South Australia, they can donate to the emergency vet service SAVEM.
Nationally, people can donate to the state branches of the RSPCA. The NSW and Victorian branches currently have their own donations appeals.
The World Wildlife Fund have a Help Save Koalas fund. Donations will be used to plant trees in koala habitat, provide medical care and lobby governments to stop deforestation and protect woodlands and koala habitats.
I will be personally donating 100% of my money from polaroids sold on my etsy Here - I have currently raised just under $400AUD. I will also be donating 100% of the money from my next SG set that is bought.
Please keep in mind, even if you don't have anything to donate, by sharing what is going on in Australia - you are helping! We need to make everyone aware of the situation unfolding.
My heart is hurting for my country, even though I am thousands of miles away in Canada.
Stay safe
Akiramai
xoxo
