France promises 'immediate operational aid' for Australian bushfires

French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged immediate operational assistance to Australia to help fight raging bushfires, protect the population and preserve the country's unique biodiversity. 

Australian firefighters conducting back burning measures to secure residential areas from encroaching bushfires at the Mangrove area, some 90-110 kilometres north of Sydney. (SAEED KHAN / AFP)

Macron called Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison to offer France's solidarity as Australians continue to battle wildfires that have devastated entire regions of the country for several months. 

At least 24 people have died, 1,500 homes destroyed and over 5.2 million hectares of land burnt since the fires began in September 2019.

I express our solidarity with the Australian people in the face of wildfires that are currently ravaging their country. I called @ScottMorrisonMP this morning to offer immediate French operational assistance to fight fires, protect affected population and preserve biodiversity.

  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) January 5, 2020

Morrison said that the fires might burn for many more months. He announced the Commonwealth is committing an additional 2 billion US dollars over the next two years to support the bushfire crisis recovery effort across the nation.

The prime minister said the money – part of a new National Bushfire Recovery Fund – will be administered by the government’s new bushfire recovery agency headed by former Australian Federal Police commissioner Andrew Colvin.

At the Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles, the Australian bushfire took centre stage with actors drawing attention to the ongoing crisis.

Australian actor Russell Crowe who won a Globe for his role in The Loudest Voice did not attend the ceremony as he was home "protecting his family from the bushfires".

In his message to his peers in LA, he wrote: "Make no mistake, the tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate-change based."

From Ellen DeGeneres to Pierce Brosnan and Australian actress Cate Blanchett, a number of big Hollywood names expressed sorrow and solidarity for Australia.