Pacific leaders offer to help Australia tackle fires

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and other Pacific leaders extended their support to Australia following the devastating bushfires that continue to affect the country's east coast.

Bainimarama conveyed condolences to his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, and indicated that he has the support of all Fijians.

'We count the Australian people as being among our closest friends and will always stand shoulder to shoulder with you,' he stated.

He also praised the 'extraordinary bravery' of the thousands of Rural Fire Service volunteers who are 'placing their lives on the line to protect their fellow Australians.'

Meanwhile, the Vanuatu government said it would donate about 175,000 dollars to the Australian Rural Fire Service, according to the Vanuatu Daily Post.

On the other hand, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) David Panuelo described the wildfires as a humanitarian crisis, to which the global community must respond.

In a statement, Panuelo said the fires were equivalent to the burning of each island of the WSF, more than 100 times over.

Papua New Guinea also offered to send 1,000 emergency personnel to help Australia, and Prime Minister James Marape issued a statement sending his condolences.

Marape said that Australia was Papua's closest friend and was always the first to help in times of adversity.

The bushfire season began last September in Australia and to date 26 people have died and millions of endemic wildlife are estimated to have been killed.



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