During the emergency events underway in Australia WIRES have received an overwhelming amount of calls, enquiries and offers of help from within Australia and internationally. 

We are still coming to terms with the devastating loss of life and habitat due to the bushfires and it means a great deal to us that there are people all over the world that care so deeply about helping our wildlife. 

Many individuals and groups have reached out wanting to help or travel to Australia to assist with bushfire efforts. We have not been able to respond to everyone individually but we sincerely thank you all for your desire to help.

We understand the events surrounding the bushfires are very distressing and many have expressed to us their feelings of helplessness watching the events unfold. 

Widlife search and rescue can only begin after the fire grounds have been declared safe by the agencies in charge such as the Rural Fire Service. Due to the massive size and quantity of the fires and the extremely variable weather conditions, in many cases it has been very difficult or impossible to get safe access yet. 

As soon as access is possible WIRES trained and dedicated volunteers, local vets and other rescue organisations are all doing everything we can to help animals once we have been given access into the affected zones. 

In NSW and in much of Australia, only trained licensed wildlife rescue and rehabilitation providers or qualified vets may take injured or orphaned native animals into care and for some species multiple courses and/or years of experience are needed to give the animals the best chance of succesful rehabilitaton.

If you are travelling within Australia and find a sick, injured or orphaned native animal, please follow WIRES emergency wildlife rescue advice and call WIRES 1300 094 737 or your nearest wildlife rescue organisation for additional advice and assistance.

For Australian residents living in WIRES licenced areas within NSW, if you are interested in rescuing and caring for wildlife long-term please consider joining WIRES as a volunteer. More volunteers are always needed and more information about volunteering with WIRES is available here: https://www.wires.org.au/rescue/become-a-rescuer

Currently we do not have national or international short-term volunteering opportunities for rescue and care. It is possible that there will be some opportunities for people to engage in some working bees e.g. to make wildlife drinkers. If anyone would like to be notified of any volunteer community activities that get confirmed please register to receive WIRES newsletter if you haven't yet.

If you are looking for other opportunities to volunteer please visit Conservation Volunteers Australia.

For vets looking to use their expertise to help animals please consider Vets Without Borders.

On behalf of everyone at WIRES, thank you for thinking of us and for wanting to help wildlife. The overwhelming kindness and generosity we have had from all over the world is truly helping us to get through this devastating time.

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