Bushfires in Australia: How you can donate and help
Here are some ways to help those affected by the Australian bushfires.
This guide gathers details for the major organisations supporting bushfire relief across the country. We'll keep updating this list; if you have suggestions for inclusions, let us know.
Note: Finder receives no fee, commission or any remuneration for these donations for any clicks or money raised. At Finder we believe in helping the Australian people, and our extraordinary land and wildlife, who are all in desperate need right now.
What's in this guide?
How to donate to the firefighters
New South Wales
| Organisation | Description | How to donate |
| NSW Rural Fire Service | Help the volunteer firefighters on the frontline. | Online: Donate here Call: Contact local fire brigade |
Victoria
| Organisation | Description | How to donate |
| Country Fire Association | Support fire-affected communities and the efforts of Victorian firefighters. | Online: Donate here |
Queensland
| Organisation | Description | How to donate |
| Rural Fire Brigades Association | Support fire-affected communities and the efforts of Queensland's firefighters. | Online: Donate here |
South Australia
| Organisation | Description | How to donate |
| Country Fire Service | Support fire-affected communities and the efforts of South Australian firefighters. | Online: Donate here |
How to help those affected
| Organisation | Description | How to donate |
| The Salvation Army | Working with affected communities, evacuees and frontline responders. | Online: Donate here Call: 13 SALVOS (13 72 58) In person: at any Woolworths checkout |
| Australian Red Cross | Supporting communities affected by fires including providing specialist emergency volunteers providing psychological first aid and working at evacuation centres. | Online: Donate here |
| The St Vincent De Paul Society (Vinnies) | Providing food, clothing, furniture and other essentials including funds to support with bills. | Online: Donate here In person: at any Vinnies store |
| GIVIT | Through the GIVIT website, Australian charities request exactly what they need and donors can pledge items for donation. | Online: See its NSW and Queensland bushfire victims campaigns |
| Foodbank | Delivering food relief and water to East Gippsland. | Online: Donate here |
| Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund | Local volunteers in Gippsland support communities affected by natural disasters. | Online: Donate here In person: at any NAB branch in Australia or at Alan Wilson Insurance Brokers at 40 Argyle St, Traralgon |
| Bendigo Bank Bushfire Disaster Appeal | Bendigo Bank and The Salvation Army are raising funds to support East Gippsland, Hume, South East New South Wales and Adelaide Hills. | Online: Donate here |
| Airbnb | Sharing free accommodation options for people evacuating emergency fire zones with free accommodation being provided until 16 January 2020. | Online: List your property in NSW or in Victoria |
| Find a Bed | Assist with accommodation for those displaced by bushfires. | Online: register online |
| GoFundMe | Discover fire fundraisers on GoFundMe | Online: view the list of fundraisers |
Supporting animal rescue and wildlife
| Organisation | Description | How to donate |
| NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) | Improve capabilities to rescue and care for animals. | Online: Donate here |
| Port Macquarie Koala Hospital | Raising funds for both wildlife in the Port Macquarie area but also sharing funds with other wildlife organisations in affected regions in NSW. | Online: Donate here |
| RSPCA NSW | Staff are assisting at evacuation centres in northern NSW and beyond, helping members of the public keep their pets and livestock safe from the fires. | Online: Donate here |
Podcast: How to help and how to get help if you're affected
Spread the word online
It is important to spread the word online through social media channels to encourage others to provide support in this time of crisis. The bushfires are starting to get international attention and with that support through donations.
Australian comedian Celeste Barber has helped raise over $30 million via an online Facebook fundraising page. This effort is bringing international attention to the bushfire crisis in Australia.
Donate your credit card reward points
If you've got some extra credit card reward points in your balance, all of the major programs allow you to redeem them for charity donations. We have a comprehensive guide on which programs work with which charities and how much your points are worth. Some of the partnered charities include Australian Red Cross, WWF Australia and The Salvation Army. With redemptions as low as $10 available for some programs, it's a great way to clear that small balance that you haven't been able to use and redeem your points for a good cause.
Support Finder's fundraising efforts
Finder has kicked off its own fundraising for the bushfires by donating $20,000 to two organisations: WIRES and The Australian Red Cross with a fundraising target of over $100,000. Please share and support our Linkedin and Facebook posts.
We are also helping those fighting against Australia's bushfires by challenging the global crypto community to unite and help out.
A warning about bushfire donation scams
Unfortunately, some scammers may see the Australian bushfires as an opportunity to take advantage of peoples generosity. The government's Scamwatch agency has released a statement warning of this risk. It has also previously warned of scams related other crises – including the 2009 Victorian bushfires (also known as the Black Saturday bushfires).
Scammers could approach you in the street, through door-knocking or by setting up online donation pages that look legitimate at first glance. You can make sure your funds go to legitimate causes by checking the organisation's details before you donate. If you're donating online, make sure the website is secure by checking for an "https" at the start of the address, as well as the padlock symbol.
Visit the Scamwatch website for more information and report suspected scams to the ACCC.
Image source: Getty Images
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