by Grace Hauck: Emergency airlifts, scorched koalas, hazardous air quality – wildfires raging across Australia have taken a devastating toll on the nation…

Awaken

and the blazes could be burning for months to come.

The bushfires, which have been burning since September, have killed at least 25 people, destroyed 2,000 homes and killed an estimated 500 million animals. In all, about 15 million acres have burned across the country – an area roughly the size of West Virginia.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Monday that the government was committing an extra $1.4 billion toward the recovery effort, but some organizations say that’s just a drop in the bucket.

Here’s how you can help.

What can I do to help victims of the Australia fires?

The best way to help? Take a minute to learn about what caused the Australia fires.

Australia typically has a fire season that runs from December to March, but human-caused climate change has made this year’s season particularly catastrophic, experts say.

Human-caused climate change lengthens the fire season, decreases precipitation and increases temperature, fueling the blazes, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Last year was both the hottest and driest year ever measured in Australia, the bureau said. December was one of the top two hottest months on record for the nation.

“Climate change is super-charging our natural disaster risks,” Greg Mullins, former Fire and Rescue commissioner of New South Wales, told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I wish we were wrong, but we’re not.”

What provided the spark that ignited this tinderbox? Two dozen people have been accused of deliberately lighting some of the fires, including a teenage volunteer firefighter.

Business owners stand in front of their shop which was destroyed by a bushfire in Cobargo, New South Wales, Australia on Jan. 1, 2020.

Where can I donate to help Australia?

Fire departments: In both Victoria and New South Wales, two of the states hardest hit by the blazes, you can donate directly to the state fire authority or to a local fire brigade, many of which are volunteer-based. “Experience tells us that donation of money is much more effective and provides more flexibility than the donation of material items or pre-loved goods,” the Victorian Country Fire Authority says on its website. For fire departments in Victoria, donate at cfa.vic.gov.au. For departments in New South Wales, donate on the government’s website.

Source: USA TODAY