How You Can Help During The Bushfire Crisis

The devastation sweeping the world as a result of the horrific bushfires that are scorching our beautiful country has a lot of us nursing heavy hearts and feeling helpless. 

People and animals are in desperate need of support and there are loads of practical ways everyday Aussies can get behind the relief effort and make a huge difference. Here's how you can help:

Donate Cash

Charities need financial aid more than anything right now, and the RFS and emergency services have confirmed that the most effective way to get help to where it is needed quickly is via direct online donations.

To help the firefighters and volunteers, you can donate directly to your local Rural Fire Service.

Support the young families of firefighters Samuel McPaul, Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew O'Dwyer, who lost their lives battling fires, on the NSWRFS site.

Add to the incredible $40+ million raised by Celeste Barber’s Facebook fundraiser, pledging funds to The Trustee for NSW Rural Fire Service & Brigades Donations Fund.

Support those affected by the bushfires via Australian Red Cross Disaster Recovery and Relief,  Salvation Army Disaster Appeal and St Vincent de Paul Society Bushfire Appeal.

Help Wildlife

To help curb the severe loss of animal life, you can donate online to WIRES 24/7. The World Wildlife Fund has set up a Help Save Koalas fund.

Mogo Zoo, Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park and the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital have all set up GoFundMe pages to support animal rehabilitation.

Donate Goods

Givit specialises in allocating donated goods to exactly where they are needed via charities and currently have a campaign for NSW bushfire victims.

Donate Accommodation

Airbnb has set up pages to share free accommodation for people who are evacuating the fire zones. You can list your property via the NSW page.

Spend In The Bush

Help rural communities in bushfire-affected areas get up and running again by buying goods directly from producers. Follow the @buyfromthebush and @spendwiththem campaigns to get behind the areas most impacted by drought and fires.

Put Food On The Table

You can donate to Farmer Joe's Pantry who are helping to feed evacuees and firefighters in NSW.

Bid for Books

If you’re on Twitter get behind Authors For Fireys where Aussie authors are auctioning off signed books to raise funds for the bushfire relief effort.

Learn To Code

Code Camp are giving away 100% of profits from all new enrolments to the bushfire appeals. 

See A Show

The Sydney Festival Bushfire Appeal Concert on Saturday 11th January will donate all funds raised to the Australian Red Cross and WIRES Wildlife Rescue.

You can also see the original Wiggles Reunion Show For Bushfire Relief on Saturday 18th January.

Shop Where It Counts

There are heaps of local brands and venues doing their part to help the cause by holding fundraising days and donating profits to charity. 

Nomad Up the Road has got 30 of Sydney’s best chefs together for a fundraising brunch and bake sale on Sunday 12th January. All proceeds will go directly to the Australian Red Cross. Please note: as of Jan 7 the brunch sold out so they have shifted the bake sale over the bar at Chin Chin to make more room and have added a rooftop lunch at Paramount Recreation Club. Commonwealth Street will be a hub of community support for the bushfires for the whole day!

Vic’s Meat, Victor Churchill and Vic’s Meat Market Day are donating every single dollar spent on Saturday 11th January to the Australian Red Cross, WIRES Wildlife Rescue and NSW Rural Fire Service.

The Grounds will donate $2 from every tea/coffee purchase (for the next 7 days) at all of their venues to the Australian Red Cross. 

Bills in Darlinghurst, Surry Hills and  Bondi Beach have made an ongoing pledge to donate $1 from each serving of their signature ricotta hotcakes to the NSW Rural Fire Service, Victoria Country Fire Authority, Australian Red Cross and WIRES Wildlife Rescue, with an extra option to add another $1 to your bill.

Frank Body is donating 100% of A-Beauty Scrub Sales to New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Country Fire Authority Victoria and Wires until the end of January.

Evo Hair has pledged $2.5k each to The Australian Red Cross and WWF, plus $1 from all sales in January and February will also be donated.

Goodness Me Box will donate 100% of all profits from the January Health Box and the February Beauty Box to the NSW Rural Fire Service and Wires.

General Pants is donating 100% of its profits on Thursday 9th January to the Australian Red Cross.

Tony Bianco is also donating 100% of online and in-store profits on Saturday 11th January to the Australian Red Cross and WIRES.

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Main Image via wwf.org.au