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Mainer on a mission to save Australia from devastating wildfires

Callie Cook, a 20-year-old girl from Belfast, is currently living in Sydney, Australia for her studies -- and she says she wants to raise awareness.

BELFAST, Maine — Most of us are thousands of miles away from the devastating wildfires sweeping across Australia -- but a girl from Belfast is living in the 'land down under', and now, she's trying to raise awareness about what people can do to help save her new home. 

20-year-old Callie Cook took off from Maine on adventures abroad to study wine -- first, in Europe, and now, in Sydney, Australia. Her focus, however, has shifted, as the bush fires this year in the country became progressively worse.

"These bush fires are a naturally occurring thing, but there hasn’t been enough aid," Cook explained to NEWS CENTER Maine during a Skype interview. "And the aid that they have provided wasn’t given quickly enough."

It's why effects of the fires have been felt around the country -- even in areas like Sydney where the flames haven't quite directly started to burn. Cook says that in the last couple of weeks, the Air Quality Index has reached 2,000. That's 10 times the beginning of the dangerous limit, at 200. 

"Walking around, it like feels a bit apocalyptic," Cook expressed. "There are people in masks. The sun doesn’t shine through -- like, for days at times. It’s just an orange hue."

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More than 12.5 million acres of land have burned so far, and at least 27 people (including four firefighters) have died since the fires started in September. Additionally, wildlife officials estimate that more than 1 billion animals -- some of which are unique to Australia -- have been killed.

"It’s hitting a lot of small towns, rural areas that are going to have a more difficult time coming back from the fire," said Cook.

As someone who grew up in farm country herself, Cook says she understands how devastating these fires will be to those rural, agricultural areas -- which is why she is encouraging Mainers to support an organization called BlazeAid

This group, made up entirely of volunteers, works with rural families to help them rebuild fences and other structures that have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters. 

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Cook says she has started a Facebook fundraiser to help raise money for this organization -- but there are also other organizations, like the Australian Red Cross and World Wildlife Foundation, you can donate to in support of the cause. 

Money isn't the only way to help, either. Mainers have been pitching in a gracious hand in whatever way they can -- for some, that includes by stitching nests and pouches for injured animals to recover in. 

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Above all, Cook says she hopes she can encourage people to learn more about the wildfires and what they could mean for the rest of the planet.

"Climate change isn’t a distant problem for the future. It’s not the problem for the future generation or our children’s (generation)," Cook said. "It’s happening to us right now."

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