By Kareena Dhillon
Executive Opinion Editor
This dry season for Australia has been particularly devastating for its citizens and wildlife. In November, the Australian government declared a state of emergency due to the fires becoming some of the most damaging on record. An area similar to the size of South Korea, comprising of roughly 25.5 million acres, has completely burned down in the country, according to Reuters News Agency. In the face of this tragedy, it is important that the Costa community recognizes the importance of supporting efforts to contain the fires.
Although brush fires are characteristic of Australia’s dry season, this year’s fires are unprecedented. The fires began much earlier than usual, and they amassed to sizes much larger than expected, leading to an increase in dangerous brushfire weather, according to McArthur Forest Fire Danger Index. It has been estimated that 1.25 billion native animals have perished in the brush fires, according to the World Wildlife Fund. One-third of koala habitats in New South Wales have been destroyed, according to Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley.
The global community needs to be able to recognize how horrifying this scale of destruction of biodiversity is. It is important to recognize the importance of protecting habitats of animals, as they make up a significant part of the world future generations will live in. Global intervention and aid must be used if there is any hope to rebuilding the wildlife population in Australia.
A critical aspect of rebuilding Australia once the fires can be contained will be to rebuild the animal habitats. Without habitats, many animals are left to fend for themselves and will not be able to survive for long in the wild. Although Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said the government will commit another $1.4 billion toward the rebuilding process, some organizations say it will not make a drop in the bucket, according to USA Today.
As a community that was deeply affected by the Woolsey fire last year, those who have the means should consider donating to provide relief to those affected. Those who are able to contribute monetarily should strongly consider donating to this cause, as it was only recently that these communities were ravaged by wildfires.
Many youth leaders and activists have stepped up since the onset of the devastating fires to urge the global population to stay aware with their affect on the world. For example, Australia-born actress Yael Stone is giving up her U.S. green card and returning to Australia to reduce her carbon footprint, according to CNN Climate.
These examples should be looked at as inspirations in trying to reduce carbon footprint internationally. It is important that students stay involved with current events on a global scale to understand how they can make a difference and recognize the connections they may have to these events, despite the fact that they can seem distant and irrelevant to their daily lives.
Additionally, the cost of the fires has destroyed homes, killed citizens and firefighters and caused evacuations of entire towns, according to CNN. The human toll that these fires have taken cannot be understated.
Spreading information about the impact the fires has had on those living in the area directly affected by the fires could be a way for students and community members to encourage awareness among their peers and contribute to these causes, as monetary donations are not always a possibility. However, not contributing money does not decrease the importance of the contribution made, because spreading awareness about a cause is a way for it to gain traction and reach even more people.
It is also recommended that all willing parties donate to the state fire authority or a local fire brigade, many of which are volunteer-based. According to the Victorian Country Fire Authority, after years of experience it can be deduced that donations of funds are much more effective and flexible than material items and/or pre-loved goods.
Other organizations that are in need of donations include the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, which has set up bank accounts to collect donations for the families of volunteer firefighters who sacrificed their lives and died while on duty.
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