Travelers in South-East Australia Stopped By Bushfires : Kathika Travel Website

Making headlines all over the world, the bushfires raging in the state of Victoria in south-eastern Australia have been devastating, both in terms of the loss of life and in property. Many travelers in Melbourne and surrounding areas in Victoria have been caught up in the continuing dramas and are either helping out or making donations while everyone anxiously waits to see if the fires are under control before more hot weather hits. So far, almost 200 people have been confirmed dead and since getting to identify some of the victims has proved difficult, some suggest the death toll could rise as high as 300.

Location of the Victorian Bushfires

The bushfires burning in Victoria are not that far away from the capital city and popular tourist destination of Melbourne – in fact, during the week Melbourne itself was under threat from fires until fortunate wind changes shifted the danger away. However, the main fires have been in several country areas not that far out of Melbourne, including most prominently towns to the north-east of Melbourne; towns like Kinglake and Marysville have seen enormous destruction as well as many lives lost.

Local and International Help

Since the fires began, people from all over the country and the world have been flying into Melbourne to assist with all kinds of tasks, including firefighting, helping displaced people both with concrete needs and counselling, and victim identification. For example, firefighters have been dispatched to Victoria from the United States as well as many parts of Australia and New Zealand.

Donations of both money and material goods have poured in from all over the globe, with significant donations coming from neighbors like Indonesia ($1 million), Papua New Guinea ($2 million) and New Zealand ($500,000). Within Australia, numerous charities have been collecting on behalf of the Victorian Bushfires Appeal and retailers have been offering their profits from an entire day’s trade to go to victims and rebuilding. In Melbourne, dozens of music gigs over this weekend and next will donate all ticket prices to help the bushfires appeal.

Information for Travelers

At this stage it’s still not clear when the bushfires will finally be under control; some are still out of control and with the possibility that more hot weather is on the way, it’s still an emergency situation. If you’re planning a trip to Victorian areas outside Melbourne in the coming weeks, stay up-to-date with the current situation before making any plans.

photo via national geographic

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