Australia offers financial help for wildfire-hit state
December 7, 2025
Australian authorities on Sunday activated disaster relief payments for residents in six regions in New South Wales after wildfires swept through thousands of hectares of bushlands in the country's most populous state.
Australia's public broadcaster ABC News said disaster relief funds help residents access emergency accommodation and essential items, as well as provide loans for small businesses and primary producers.
Bushfires have been brought under control, authorities say
Over 50 bushfires — sparked by a scorching heatwave — were burning in the state as of Saturday, according to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSWRFS).
But authorities later said they were working to ease the situation and deemed the fires as having been "under control."
What do we know about the wildfires in New South Wales?
The NSWRFS confirmed on Sunday that 16 houses had been destroyed and nine more damaged in Koolewong in New South Wales' Central Coastal Region, about 45 kilometers north of Sydney, the state's capital and Australia's largest city.
The fires prompted local authorities to urge local residents to leave the area.
Many homes destroyed in wildfire
Federal and local governments that initial assessments suggest a number of homes have been destroyed with "extensive damage" to more private property, critical infrastructure, fencing, agricultural assets and national parks.
Officials added that the extent of the damage would become clearer as authorities continue to take stock of the devastation.
Australian PM says fortunate there has been no loss of life
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told ABC that it has been fortunate that there was no loss of life, which is "always the priority."
"This summer, of course, like all summers it would appear in recent times, is going to be a difficult one," he said.
New South Wales is one of the most wildfire-prone regions in Australia, with the risk increasing due to climate change.
Australia's "Black Summer" fires of 2019-2020 destroyed an area the size of Turkey and killed 33 people.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar