The deadly bushfires in the state of Victoria, Australia, have now been blazing since the weekend--and unfortunately, not all of them are under control yet. There have even been nervous times when the city of Melbourne looked like it could be under threat; this seems safer at the moment, but hot weather is forecast again in the next week.
In rural Victoria, life is definitely not normal right now, and many towns will be without basics like electricity for weeks. Traveling in the area at the moment is definitely not on, apart from many experts and volunteers from other parts of Australia and abroad who are flocking in to help with further firefighting, providing for those who've lost their homes and the grim task of identifying some of the probably 200 plus victims.
Within Australia there are numerous ways to help: if you're in Melbourne or nearby, they're still looking for blood donations to help burns victims, for example. And Coles Supermarkets are donating all of Friday's profits, so stop by for all your groceries there. From outside Australia, donations can be made via the Salvation Army--just direct your donation to the Victorian Bushfires Appeal.
Just for the record, this photo of the now famous Sam the Koala actually made us shed a tear. We realize it was actually taken during preventative burning last week before the fires hit, but it shows just how badly local wildlife is being affected by these fires. It's a horrific event on all accounts and one that there will be plenty of reminders of for any travelers passing through Victoria in the coming years.
Related Stories:
· Bushfires Coverage [The Age]
· Koala Man Footage Not What It Seems [The Age]
· Deadly Fires Rage in Australia's Victoria Region [Jaunted] ]]>
When it comes to Australian wines, there’s one bewitching, badass behemoth that gets all the attention: Barossa. But this week, Jaunted Special Contributor Eric Rosen takes us on a tour of a few of Oz’s lesser known wine regions, many of which are within a few hours of the continent’s major cities. So drop that bottle of Shiraz and join us as we take a tour of Australia’s “other” wine regions. 
