What to know about the fires in Australia if you'll be traveling there

You’ve likely already heard about the bush fires in Australia that are currently devastating the country. All six Australian states have seen damage from fires, but New South Wales (which includes Sydney) has been hit hardest, where 136 separate fires (including 69 that are not contained) continued to burn this morning according to a CNN breakdown. At least 24 people are dead. And in New South Wales alone, estimates a University of Sydney professor, nearly half a billion animals are dead, too.

First, if you want to help fight the fires in Australia and help the people affected, you have options. The Australian Red Cross is one place to donate. Nicole Kidman (who is Australian) posted her own list of places to donate on Facebook here (so you don’t have to type it out, here’s a link to donation page for the New South Wales Rural Fire Service). You can also send money to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service via this Facebook donation page set up by Australian comedian Celeste Barber.

What if you’re traveling to Australia?

Evacuation orders are in effect, and air in Sydney was reported at “11 times the ‘hazardous’ level” in December. So it might not seem like a good time to travel to Australia. But what if you already have plans to go? Lonely Planet wrote up some things to think about, including where exactly there are fires in Australia, in this post. Among the insights offered:

  • “Consider bringing a filtering mask with you. The ones to look for are called N95 or P2, experts the Aussie ABC talked to confirmed, and are relatively inexpensive. Be aware that these need to fit tightly, so anyone sporting a beard, take note and take a razor.”
  • “This is definitely a trip where you want to make sure that you’ll have full mobile phone data and call connectivity, so pick up a SIM card at the airport or get an eSIM if your phone supports them.”
  • “Check with your travel insurance: it might not cover bushfires: The basic rule[s] when it comes to natural disasters and travel insurance are that you should read your policy very carefully to ensure it covers them, and that you’ll need to have taken out the policy in advance of the disaster starting.” (For travel insurance, I have an annual plan with Allianz, for which I am a brand ambassador.)

A post from Our Seven Worlds looks at the question in even more detail. It breaks down the status of the fires state by state and offers advice for travelers to consider. In short, its position is this: “Yes – absolutely, you should still travel to Australia. No, you should not cancel your trip. There are many beautiful parts of Australia that are unaffected by the bushfires…Australia is a large country.”

The decision of whether to travel to Australia now, however, is yours. For now, we’re thinking of everyone affected.

A statement on the fires in Australia from Tourism Australia

Below is an official statement from Tourism Australia:

“Like all Australians our sympathies go out to the families and communities who are impacted by the fires, and our gratitude grows stronger by the day for the front line services facing the fires head on. Whilst bushfires continue to impact parts of Australia, many areas are unaffected and most tourism businesses are still open. It is more important than ever that we rally around our communities and the tourism sector who may have been impacted.

“We would encourage all travellers coming to Australia to seek the most up to date information prior to departure, and remain informed about changing conditions whilst on the ground. The Australian Government’s Bureau of Meteorology provides overall weather updates for all parts of Australia, including the latest fire warnings: bom.gov.au. For specific advice, updates are available from the Rural Fire Service, National Parks and relevant State or Territory emergency services. Travellers are also encouraged to speak with local tourism operators and staff at local Visitor Information Centres for advice about local conditions and how best to enjoy their time in Australia.”

 


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