Half of Australians donated to bushfire appeal: survey

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Half of Australians donated to bushfire appeal: survey

By Lidia Kelly

 

Rubble are seen at a property damaged by bushfires in Kangaroo Valley, Australia, January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Angie Teo

 

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - One in two Australians have donated money to support bushfire relief efforts, a new survey showed over the weekend, with meteorologists warning more hot and dry weather is to return after a heavy rain respite dampened many of the blazes.

 

The Australian bush has always burned, but this season's fires, which began early, have in the past four months claimed the lives of 33 people, millions of animals and have charred an area nearly the size of Greece.

 

With the fires also destroying thousands of homes and inflicting psychological and physical damage to many, Australians have been increasingly coming together to aid one another as the country looks to rebuilding.

 

Some 53% of Australians have donated to a bushfire appeal during this season, a survey conducted by the fundraising and marketing consultancy More Strategic in partnership with the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) showed over the weekend.

 

Nearly half of the donations went to a collection organised on behalf of a charity, while 14% have donated through Facebook.

 

Estimates on total money collected vary, as donations keep pouring from Australia and abroad, with some Australian media saying hundreds of millions of dollars have come in so far.

 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday that he will move a motion of condolence at the parliament's first sitting in early February.

 

"These fires have been devastating but through these terrible times we have also witnessed the Australian spirit on display with an outpouring of love, support, courage and generosity," Morrison said in a statement.

 

With more than a week of solid rains in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, the three states most affected by the bushfires, the number of blazes has more than halved, but there were still several dozen fires burning, according to fire services.

 

Meteorologists warned on Monday, however, that the cooler conditions may be over.

 

"The reprieve may be short lived with a blast of heat likely late this week in some areas," the Bureau of Meteorology in the New South Wales state said on Twitter.

 

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-01-27

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[Puchaiyank]

The other half no longer have homes, jobs, vehicles, or the means to donate...unprecedented...surreal mass destruction...may take a generation to recover the losses.

[Saint Nick]

...while the government is pay drops in the ocean and denies climate change and it's consequences!

[giddyup]

3 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

...while the government is pay drops in the ocean and denies climate change and it's consequences!

Bushfires have been a natural part of the Australian habitat for probably thousands of years.

[Saint Nick]

42 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Bushfires have been a natural part of the Australian habitat for probably thousands of years.

I know that!

But the fact that they start earlier, last longer and are more intense, is widely attributed to longer and more intense dry periods, which are attributed to ...what?!

Well, at least if you believe in science and not in conspiracy theories... 

[giddyup]

17 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

I know that!

But the fact that they start earlier, last longer and are more intense, is widely attributed to longer and more intense dry periods, which are attributed to ...what?!

Well, at least if you believe in science and not in conspiracy theories... 

Start earlier, you mean only since recorded weather patterns, and how long is that?

[simple1]

21 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

I know that!

But the fact that they start earlier, last longer and are more intense, is widely attributed to longer and more intense dry periods, which are attributed to ...what?!

Well, at least if you believe in science and not in conspiracy theories... 

I was listening to a bush fire expert from CSIRO who said The intensity of the fires have been identified as due to not burning off natural debris for a number of years.

[Saint Nick]

1 hour ago, simple1 said:

I was listening to a bush fire expert from CSIRO who said The intensity of the fires have been identified as due to not burning off natural debris for a number of years.

So...it has nothing at all to do with longer drought- periods due to more extreme weather?

Ok...so it seems, that all the scientists ...as always...are wrong!

But I think, people have to make their mind up: hasn't natural debris be burning of for a number of years or are these bush- fires a regular occurence since the beginning of time?

Seems to be a bit contradictory to me!

 

 

...oh...by the way: you do realize that the continent is literally on fire, right!?

[simple1]

2 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

So...it has nothing at all to do with longer drought- periods due to more extreme weather?

Ok...so it seems, that all the scientists ...as always...are wrong!

But I think, people have to make their mind up: hasn't natural debris be burning of for a number of years or are these bush- fires a regular occurence since the beginning of time?

Seems to be a bit contradictory to me!

 

 

...oh...by the way: you do realize that the continent is literally on fire, right!?

Prior the Aboriginal population had land management practises in-place using fire to clear the forest floors. I recall reading a recent news article that at the moment only approx 140k hectares p.a. are being managed by fire clearance, whereas to date this fire season approx 6 million hectares, incl grasslands, have been damaged by fire. Bush fires happen every year, this fire season has been somewhat severe, but not as bad as some others. So far this fire season 2000 homes have been lost and 33 deaths from fire and related activity.

 

I live in Australia, it is a gross exaggeration to claim 'the continent is literally on fire'.

[Salerno]

2 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

Ok...so it seems, that all the scientists ...as always...are wrong!

 

Do you know what CSIRO is?

[CG1 Blue]

I saw many of my UK friends donating to a bushfire appeal on facebook. Last I remember the total was at around GBP 24 million. A pretty impressive amount, and a nice show of solidarity, yet I don't think I've heard anything in the mainstream media about this though.