Putting out bushfires

Putting out bushfires’ has an obvious, literal meaning. At the time of writing, Australian local, State and Federal Government and private sector agencies, with help from overseas, were involved in the biggest fire response operation ever conducted, across all mainland states and territories. Whole communities had been burnt to the ground, significant populations of at-risk wildlife had been wiped out and emergency services organisations were being stretched to capacity.

Our entire country is hurting – the place is either in the grip of a long and oppressive drought or on fire – or both.