Stop the home fires burning

Between summer 2019 and March of this year, Black Summer raged across southern and eastern Australia, with normal bushfires – aggravated by record-breaking temperatures and drought – killing at least 34 people, laying waste to an estimated 46 million acres of land, destroying 5900 buildings and around three billion terrestrial vertebrates.   

This campaign from CHE Proximity was created in partnership with New South Wales Rural Fire Service, NSW State Emergency Service and Australian Red Cross, and taps into the helplessness that many felt watching first responders risk their lives during rescue missions. 

It's led by a powerful film, directed by Justin Kurzel through Revolver/Will O’Rourke, that captures the drama of firefighters at work. Across Australia, there are some 43,000 NSW State Emergency Service volunteers and during the Black Summer crisis, more than 3000 Red Cross people assisted at 150 evacuation and relief centres.

First Saturday calls on Australians to dedicate the first Saturday of every month to helping first responders by doing one small task to make their homes safer. Jobs such as removing dead branches and leaf debris, checking electrical appliances and BBQs and making escape plans could contribute to averting disaster.