Bushfires and Social Media

Being summer, it's bushfire season and we are constantly aware of that. Thankfully here on the northern edge of Brisbane we are safe and the effects of fires have been minimal. But as you may know, the news in Australia has been dominated for weeks by the devastating bushfires further south.

The average temperatures across Australia hit new records in 2019 and the drought is widespread. The result is that this season's bushfires are burning hotter and being more destructive than usual. It was astounding to see a photo of a car with rivers of molten metal solidified into the tar around it. Fire temperatures there were estimated at over 600° C and possibly as high as 1000° C!

The scale of the destruction of the landscape is difficult to comprehend. Some have calculated that is is almost 20 times as much as was destroyed in the 2018 California fires. The loss of millions of animals and their habitat is heartbreaking. Only very good and widespread rains have any hope of quelling the fires. It's a tragic start to the new year.

Social Media
On the positive side, many injured animals have been found and rescued.  They are being treated by vets and teams of volunteers with a view to eventually returning them to the bush. But a way of lending a little material help to them appeared on Facebook, by way of the Animal Rescue Craft Guild (ARCG).

I joined the group on Facebook and downloaded some patterns to sew up pouches for injured wildlife.  However, I wasn't the only one to join. The appeal went viral and within a week 100,000 other crafters from around the world also responded to the need and joined the group.  They have been sewing, knitting and crocheting bat wraps for flying foxes, nests, joey pouches and animal beds.

Joey in pouch: Courtesy of Piccolo Studio

These items are used by volunteers who are looking after and nursing the injured animals. Australian marsupials including wombats, possums, kangaroos and koalas all need pouches in which to grow and thrive.

Baby Koala: Courtesy of Piccolo Studio

Such is the power of social media that the ARCG have been inundated with donations. In the face of the kind, caring but overwhelming response, the ARCG group administrators have now asked crafters to 'pause' in their efforts They need time to sort and allocate the avalanche of items to the various rescue centres.

They also need to take stock of what they have, and assess further needs in a planned, manageable way. Actively managing a Facebook group of now close to 200,000 is a big undertaking and needs much time and attention. Then there are the logistics of collecting the goods, storing them, and getting them distributed.

Meanwhile, we crafters can perhaps complete what we have begun and then wait to hear from the ARCG. They are doing a splendid job and will no doubt let us know when they are ready to accept more items.

If you do wish to help through the ARCG, check the 'Announcements' tab on the Animal Rescue Craft Guild Facebook page before going any further. All the information you need is published there and it's updated regularly. Patterns have been carefully designed to meet the needs of the animals.  Natural fibres like cotton and linen are best for little animals that are learning to eat and explore the world by chewing and tasting what is around them.

I'll tell you more about my pouches in my next post.

Till then, happy stitching!