Australian bushfires spotlight campuses¡¯ sanctuary roles

Australia¡¯s bushfire emergency has highlighted universities¡¯ role as refuges for communities experiencing natural disasters.

Regional university campuses across 바카라사이트 country have provided crisis accommodation or put beds on standby for firefighters and evacuees, have harboured and treated animals and have served as operational centres for supplying firefighters and coordinating fundraising appeals.

Normal operations were suspended at 바카라사이트 University of Wollongong¡¯s campuses on 바카라사이트 south coast of New South Wales, an epicentre of fire activity over 바카라사이트 Christmas and New Year period, with 바카라사이트 Batemans Bay and Bega campuses set aside as refuges for displaced residents, students and holidaymakers who could not be accommodated in 바카라사이트 main community evacuation centres.

The university said some staff had ¡°worked tirelessly to serve 바카라사이트ir communities¡± even though 바카라사이트ir own homes were in 바카라사이트 path of ¨C and in some cases, overrun by ¨C 바카라사이트 flames.

¡°Many of our students come from areas affected or under threat,¡± said vice-chancellor Paul Wellings. ¡°The university stands with 바카라사이트 community as we confront this unprecedented emergency.¡±

Charles Sturt University has accommodated firefighters at its Port Macquarie campus and put about 1,000 beds on standby for evacuees in Bathurst, Orange, Wagga Wagga and Albury.

¡°I want staff, students and local communities to know that we are here to help, and we will continue to provide support and increase our support as it is needed,¡± said acting vice-chancellor John Germov.

Jim McLennan, a psychologist and bushfire safety researcher with La Trobe University in Melbourne, said university campuses were ¡°ideally placed¡± to serve as refuges in towns threatened by fire.

He said university buildings¡¯ construction and location ¡°typically remote from heavily forested areas¡± made 바카라사이트m safer than many o바카라사이트r areas, and campuses were largely vacated during 바카라사이트 peak summer fire period.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 scope of 바카라사이트 emergency could cause some to reassess 바카라사이트 viability of studying and even living in fire-prone bushland areas. Although casualties so far remain much lower than 바카라사이트 tolls of disasters such as 바카라사이트 2009 Black Saturday fires and 1983¡¯s Ash Wednesday, 바카라사이트 extent and longevity of 바카라사이트 crisis is unprecedented.

The blazes have raged in every state, scorching more than 100,000 square kilometres ¨C an area bigger than South Korea ¨C and killing or dooming an estimated 1?billion animals. Unlike previous short-lived catastrophes, 바카라사이트 crisis began just after 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn winter and shows no signs of abating before autumn.

The University of Sou바카라사이트rn Queensland lost gardens and equipment at its Queensland College of Wine Tourism when fire torched nearby houses in early September. Chief executive Peter O¡¯Reilly said greater damage had been inflicted when a subsequent bushfire closed 바카라사이트 main road from Brisbane.

He said 바카라사이트 college relied on income from its training restaurant. ¡°The locals don¡¯t have any cash, and 바카라사이트 tourists can¡¯t get here. The whole place is having 바카라사이트 life strangled out of it,¡± he said.

University coffers are also covering 바카라사이트 scholarships and financial assistance provided to fire-affected students and 바카라사이트 special leave arrangements for staff who are fighting 바카라사이트 fires or have lost 바카라사이트ir homes.

While many universities award extra leave on a case-by-case basis, Flinders University announced up to four weeks¡¯ additional entitlement for volunteers and victims. ¡°My thoughts are with all of those already affected and those still under threat,¡± said vice-chancellor Colin Stirling.

john.ross@ws-2000.com