Bushfires continue to devastate Australia, destroying homes, smothering cities in smoke, and killing people and wildlife alike. Temperatures in some parts of the country have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) this week and are expected to climb above 50 (122 Fahrenheit), as part of a heatwave promising to further stoke the blaze. And it isn't even three weeks into summer.
It's a crisis, and not just a national one. These bushfires alone have have emitted 250 tons of carbon dioxide since August — nearly half of Australia's overall emissions for the entirety of 2018.
As Christmas approaches, many Australians are understandably finding it difficult to find the joy of the season. Now, a new art installation in Sydney's CBD is attempting to revive the holiday spirit despite the haze.
Tweet may have been deleted
Commissioned by the City of Sydney and the Australian Red Cross, The Burnt Tree is constructed from materials recovered from bushfire-affected areas, from charred tree branches to burnt ceiling fan fittings. The atypical Christmas decoration is intended to show support for people impacted by the fires, and inspire hope in a dire situation. It was created by artist James Dive and advertising agency DDB.
"[The Burnt Tree] symbolises the devastation caused by the fires, and the resilience of the communities that have been impacted," said Sydney's Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
Over seven million acres have been burned in NSW and Queensland alone, killing six people and destroying over 680 homes. The bushfires are expected to continue for months, with Australia forecasting below-average rainfall at least until March.
SEE ALSO:Photos show the devastating impact of eastern Australia's bushfiresA tap-and-go EFTPOS terminal has been erected at The Burnt Tree, allowing people to donate to the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund. For those who can't make it down to the Tree in person, the Australian Red Cross also accepts donations through its website.
Donations go toward providing affected people with "shelter, psychological first aid, information, and practical support," as well as training volunteers and purchasing equipment.
Credit: The Australian Red Cross
Credit: The Australian Red Cross
Credit: THE AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS
Credit: THE AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS
Credit: THE AUSTRALIAN RED CROSSView this post on Instagram
Tweet may have been deleted
TopicsSocial Good
(责任编辑：綜合)
Watch MTV's Video Music Awards 2016 livestream
Esports moving to TV means more video games have to reckon with themselves
A new 'Game of Thrones' beer is here to mark the arrival of winter
China censors 'RIP' and the candle emoji as people mourn Nobel Peace Prize winnerFlorida hurricane forecast remains uncertain, but trends in state's favorJ.K. Rowling makes 'Harry Potter' joke about Olympics event
LONDON -- For anyone who isn't familiar with the Olympics omnium events in the velodrome, the points
...[详细]If you're a person on the internet, then you care about net neutrality
You are? Good, welcome. We need to talk.The future of the internet is at stake. We've been here befo
...[详细]Tom Holland got the loudest screams at D23 so he must be Marvel's biggest star now
Disney fans have a new favorite in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sorry Robert Downey Jr., guys name
...[详细]Apple wants to create an army of machine learning developers
Machine learning is one of the hottest buzzwords in tech right now, and it generally refers to softw
...[详细]Michael Phelps says goodbye to the pool with Olympic gold
Michael Phelps left as he began: Winning. 。The most decorated athlete in Olympic history won gold in
...[详细]BBC presenter pushes her boss about the BBC pay gap and you can hear him squirm
It's never easy talking about salaries but one BBC journalist gave us all a masterclass in how to ha
...[详细]'Beasts of Balance' gives Jenga the modern update you've been waiting for
Everybody loves Jenga, but the wooden brick stacking game is so20th century. Fortunately for anybody
...[详细]Choreographer delivers the dancing wedding proposal of your rom
Step aside Channing Tatum, there is a new dancing heartthrob in town. L.A.-based choreographer Phil
...[详细]Xiaomi accused of copying again, this time by Jawbone
Imitation is not always the best form of flattery. 。 SEE ALSO:Xiaomi's MacBook Air clone is called, w
...[详细]EPA chief wants his climate change 'debate' televised
If you ask nearly all the world's climate scientists, there's simply no debate: The planet is warmin
...[详细]Here's what 'Game of Thrones' actors get up to between takes
Nicki Minaj has no idea how to use Snapchat and it's hilarious
