As bushfires continue to rage across Australia, with scenes of glowing red skies and scorched landscapes filling social media feeds around the world, travelers planning to visit the country in the coming weeks are likely wondering whether they should cancel or postpone their plans.
The short answer? It depends.
In recent days, many embassies and government bodies have updated their travel advice to citizens concerning travel to Australia, telling them to stay abreast of the situation by following local media and be prepared to comply with any evacuation orders.
“Authorities in some regions have declared a State of Emergency and ordered road closures and evacuations. Poor air quality can occur some distance from the sites of the fires and provoke respiratory conditions.
“If you’re in or near an affected area or planning any travel, stay safe, monitor TV news, radio and social media channels for updates, and follow the instructions and advice of local authorities.”
Travelers are also advised to check with their insurance providers and read the fine print, as certain situations – i.e. a government ordered state of emergency – may invalidate coverage.
Airline policies concerning cancellations and changes vary, so check with your carrier if you are concerned about flexibility.
Etihad, for instance, announced Monday it’s waiving flight change fees for Australian residents affected the national emergency. Virgin Airlines has a similar policy in place.
Be sure to confirm your flight’s status before departure, as some cancellations have occurred due to poor visibility. The country’s flag carrier, Qantas, canceled all flights to and from Canberra on Sunday due to hazardous weather conditions.
John Moore/Getty Images
Animal rescuer Marcus Fillinger carries a burned kangaroo on February 4 in Peak View, Australia. Fillinger tranquilized the wounded animal for transport to a recovery center.
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
A bushfire burns near the town of Bumbalong, south of Canberra on February 2.
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Horses panic as a fire burns near Canberra, Australia, on Saturday, February 1.
Noah Berger/AP
A firefighter coats a bridge with foam as a bushfire burns near Moruya, Australia, on Saturday, January 25.
Rick Rycroft/AP
In this long-exposure photo, a car's taillights streak at left as a wildfire glows at dusk near Clear Range, Australia, on Friday, January 31.
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
An airplane dumps fire retardant behind houses at the foot of Mount Tennent as fire creeps through the Namadgi National Park in Canberra on Thursday, January 30.
Jenny Evans/Getty Images
People embrace near the scene of a
water tanker plane crash in Cooma, Australia, on Thursday, January 23. Three American crew members died in the crash.
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Flying embers are seen in this long-exposure photo from Moruya on Thursday, January 23.
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A young koala named Jeremy receives medical attention for burns at the Healesville Sanctuary in Badger Creek, Australia, on January 23.
Noah Berger/AP
Firefighters battle the Morton Fire as it burns a home near Bundanoon, Australia, on January 23.
Mark Evans/Getty Images
The Parliament House in Canberra is blanketed by bushfire smoke on January 23.
Noah Berger/AP
A firefighter battles the Morton Fire as it consumes a home near Bundanoon on January 23.
Darren England/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Veterinarian Ludo Valenza holds two grey-headed flying foxes, which were being treated for bushfire injuries at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah, Australia, on Wednesday, January 15.
CPL Tristan Kennedy/Australian Department of Defence
Lt. Kynan Lang from the 10th/27th Battalion visits the scene where his uncle and cousin died in a bushfire on Australia's Kangaroo Island.
William West/AFP/Getty Images
A smoky haze from bushfires hovers over the Melbourne skyline ahead of the
Australian Open tennis tournament on Tuesday, January 14. Poor air quality disrupted the qualifying rounds of the tournament.
Sam McNeil/AP
Properties damaged and destroyed by fire are seen in Nerrigundah, Australia, on Monday, January 13.
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Debris remains where houses stood in the Australian village of Wingello on January 13.
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Bonnie Morris and sister Raemi Morris look on as their family and firefighters battle bushfires at the edge of their family farm in Karatta on Saturday, January 11.
Don Arnold/Getty Images
Pictures of firefighters are projected onto the Sydney Opera House on January 11.
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
A vehicle makes its way through thick fog mixed with bushfire smoke in the Ruined Castle area of the Blue Mountains on January 11.
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Protesters march through downtown Melbourne on Friday, January 10, in response to the ongoing bushfire crisis.
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An aerial view shows a track running through trees that were scorched by bushfires in East Gippsland, Australia, on Thursday, January 9.
Sean Davey/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
A pile of wood chips burns at a timber mill in Eden, Australia, on January 9.
Sean Davey/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Lisa Poulsen tends to her Clydesdale horse, Jake, on January 9. Jake suffered burn injuries in a bushfire on December 31.
Rick Rycroft/AP
A small wave of black water full of burned debris breaks at a beach at Eden on January 9.
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
A dead kangaroo lies on a burnt farm in Batlow.
Rick Rycroft/AP
A firefighter backs away from flames after lighting a controlled burn near Tomerong on January 8.
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
Stephenie Bailey is embraced on Wednesday, January 8, as she describes the impact the bushfires have had on her farm in Batlow.
Dean Lewins-Pool/Getty Images
Charlotte O'Dwyer, the young daughter of Rural Fire Service volunteer Andrew O'Dwyer, wears her father's helmet during his funeral after being presented with a service medal in his honor by RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons on Tuesday, January 7, in Sydney.
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
A resident throws a bucket of water onto a smoldering tree on his property on Monday, January 6, in Wingello, Australia.
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
A military helicopter flies above a burning woodchip mill in Eden, New South Wales, on January 6.
Handout/ABIS/Thomas Sawtell/Australian Department of Defence/Getty Images
A Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk "Romeo" helicopter refuels onboard HMAS Adelaide during Operation Bushfire Assist, on Sunday, January 5, in this image provided by the Australian Department of Defence. HMAS Adelaide and army reserve forces have been assisting with bushfire evacuations on the southern coast of New South Wales.
Justin McManus/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
Families are evacuated by air from Mallacoota on January 5.
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images
A man walks past ash from bushfires washed up on a beach in Merimbula on January 5.
Corporal Nicole Dorrett/Australian Department of Defence via Getty Images
The flight deck of a C-130J Hercules is lit by the red glow of the fires below as the aircrew attempts to land in Merimbula to drop off fire and rescue crews to assist fighting the bushfires on January 5.
NASA via AP
This satellite image provided by NASA on Saturday, January 4, shows smoke from fires burning in Victoria and New South Wales.
Justin McManus/The Age/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
A father holds his daughter as the skies above turn red during the day on January 4 in Mallacoota, Australia. Many parents with young children were stuck in Mallacoota after flights were grounded because of smoke and only school-aged children and older were allowed to evacuate by boat.
Pool/Getty Images
A Royal Australian Navy crew unload luggage as evacuees from Mallacoota arrive aboard the MV Sycamore on January 4 at the port of Hastings, Australia.
Rick Rycroft/AP
Smoke from wildfires shrouds a road near Moruya, Australia, on January 4.
Tracey Nearmy/Reuters
Nancy Allen stands outside her house as high winds push smoke and ash from the Currowan Fire toward Nowra in New South Wales on January 4.
Australia Department of Defense/AP
Evacuees board the Royal Australian Navy's MV Sycamore on January 3 in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia. Navy ships plucked hundreds of people from beaches and tens of thousands were urged to flee before hot weather and strong winds in the forecast worsen Australia's already devastating wildfires.
DELWP Gippsland/AP
Massive smoke rises from wildfires burning in East Gippsland, Victoria on January 2.
NSW Rural Fire Service via Reuters
Royal Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons presents a posthumous Commendation for Bravery and Service on January 2 to the son of RFS volunteer Geoffrey Keaton, who was
killed battling bushfires, at Keaton's funeral in Buxton, New South Wales.
Robert Oerlemans via AP
Boats are pulled ashore as smoke and wildfires rage on January 2 behind Lake Conjola.
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
Cars line up as people evacuate the town of Batemans Bay in New South Wales on January 2.
Copernicus Sentinel Imagery via AP
A satellite image released by Copernicus Sentinel dated December 31 shows bushfires burning across Australia.
Matthew Abbott/The New York Times/Redux
A kangaroo rushes past a burning house in Lake Conjola, Australia, on December 31.
Matthew Abbott/The New York Times/Redux
A man tries to defend a property in Lake Conjola on December 31.
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
Firefighters hose down trees as they battle against bushfires around the town of Nowra in the Australian state of New South Wales on December 31, 2019. Thousands of holidaymakers and locals were forced to flee to beaches in fire-ravaged southeast Australia on December 31, as blazes ripped through popular tourist areas leaving no escape by land.
James Ross/AP
A destroyed home in Sarsfield, East Gippsland, Victoria, on December 31.
Sean Davey/AFP via Getty Images
Children evacuated from areas affected by bushfires play at the showgrounds in the southern New South Wales town of Bega on December 31.
Ellen Smith/AAP Images via AP
A skycrane drops water on a bushfire burning near houses in Bundoora, Melbourne, on Monday, December 30.
NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) captured this satellite image of the historic bushfires burning across Australia on December 26.
JOEL CARRETT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Jenny Evans/Getty Images
Tributes for volunteer firemen Andrew O'Dwyer and Geoffrey Keaton are seen at Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade in Sydney, Australia, on December 22. It's believed they were killed when their vehicle hit a tree before rolling off the road, the
New South Wales Rural Fire Service said in a statement.
Dan Himbrechts/EPA/Shutterstock
A firefighter battles the Gospers Mountain Fire in Bilpin, New South Wales, on Saturday, December 21.
David Gray/Getty Images
A charred bicycle lies on the ground in front of a house destroyed by bushfires on the outskirts of Bargo on December 21.
David Gray/Getty Images
Fire and rescue personnel monitor a bushfire as it burns near homes on the outskirts of Bilpin on Thursday, December 19.
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
A property burns in Balmoral on December 19.
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
A helicopter drops fire-retardant to protect a property in Balmoral.
Wendell Teodoro/AFP via Getty Images
Police disperse demonstrators during a climate protest near Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official residence in Sydney, on December 19, during his absence on an overseas holiday, as bushfires burned across the region.
Farooq Khan/AFP via Getty Images
Children swing into the Penrith river during a heatwave in Sydney on December 19.
SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images
A landscape of burnt trees is pictured after a bushfire at Mount Weison, in the Blue Mountains, on Wednesday, December 18.
Rick Rycroft/AP
A wallaby flees a fire burning near Mangrove Mountain, north of Sydney, on December 10.
Jenny Evans/Getty Images
A smoke haze blankets Bondi Beach as the air quality index reaches higher than ten times hazardous levels in some suburbs of Sydney on December 10.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
People join a guided climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as bushfire haze darkens the sky on December 6.
Don Arnold/Getty Images
People are seen wearing face masks to protect against the poor air quality in Sydney on December 5.
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
A bushfire burns out of control in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales on December 2,
Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images
An aerial view shows bushfires burning in the Richmond Valley on November 26.
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
A CFA crew member rests after a day of maintaining controlled back burns in St Albans, Australia, on November 21.
Tao Shelan/China News Serice/Getty Images
An injured koala receives treatment after its rescue from a bushfire at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on November 19. The hospital said the fires have "decimated" the area, which is a key habitat and breeding ground for the marsupials. More than
350 koalas are feared to have been killed by bushfires in NSW, according to animal experts.
Dean Lewins/EPA
Firefighters try to protect the Colo Heights Public School on November 19.
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Bushfire smoke clouds the sky over the Hawkesbury River in Brooklyn, Australia.
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
Firefighters work on controlled back burns on November 14.
NASA via AP
This satellite image shows wildfire smoke on November 14.
William West/AFP/Getty Images
A man uses a wet towel to help put out flames near the town of Taree on November 14.
Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
Firefighters organize their crews prior to working on controlled back burns in Sydney on November 14.
William West/AFP/Getty Images
Warren Smith pats his dog after returning to find his house destroyed near Nana Glen on November 13.
William West/AFP/Getty Images
Teresa de Ruyter, left, and Michelle Wilson embrace after returning to their homes near Nana Glen on November 13.
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Firefighters battle a spot fire in Hillville on November 13.
Dan Peled/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Residents look on as thick smoke rises from bushfires near Nana Glen on November 12.
Lukas Coch/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison looks at a screen as he gets a briefing on the bushfire situation on November 12.
WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images
Locals watch the fires impact farmland near Nana Glen on November 12.
Sam Mooy/Getty Images
A firefighter mops up after a bushfire in the Sydney suburb of Llandilo on November 12.
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
A fire and rescue team inspects damage around the village of Torrington on November 11.
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Andrew Mackenzie surveys the damage to the area around his home in Torrington. His home was spared, but his neighbors' house was burned to the ground.
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Smoke from the Gulf Road Fire fills the air in Glen Innes on November 11.
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
A sign on a Taree fire station warns of "catastrophic" fire conditions.
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
A lone joey is pictured on a scorched patch of ground in Torrington on November 11.
Brook Mitchell/Getty Images
Emergency crews tend to animals on a property in Torrington on November 11.
Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
Burnt trees dot the landscape in Old Bar on November 10.
Darren Pateman/EPA/Shuttterstock
A firefighter works to contain a bushfire near Taree on November 10.
Shane Chalker/AAP Image/Reuters
A helicopter drops water on a bushfire in Old Bar on November 9.
Tom Bannigan/AFP via Getty Images
This aerial photo, taken on November 9, shows bushfires in the northeastern part New South Wales.
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
Fires burn in the distance as children play on a beach in Forster on November 9.
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
A fire rages in Bobin on November 9.
Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
The remains of a property are seen in Bobin on November 9.
Shane Chalker/EPA
A plane drops fire retardant on a bushfire in Harrington on November 8.
Dan Himbrechts/EPA
Firefighters try to put out a bushfire in Woodford on November 8.
Dan Peled/EPA
Police knock on the door of a house to warn residents of an out-of-control bushfire near Clumber on November 8.
Dan Himbrechts/AAP via Reuters
A resident hoses smoldering logs as a bushfire burns in Woodford on November 8.
Dan Himbrechts/AAP via Reuters
The sun is seen through heavy smoke as a bushfire burns in Woodford.
Dan Himbrechts/EPA
Firefighters hose down an area in Woodford.
Dan Kirkman/EPA
Forster residents watch as a water-bombing helicopter flies over a bushfire on November 7.
Lauren Dauphin/NASA Earth Observatory
In this handout photo from NASA's Aqua satellite, destructive bushfires are seen off the coast of New South Wales on November 7.
Tourism Australia has compiled a list of popular attractions with updates on whether they have been impacted by the fires or are safe to visit, which can be found here.
Simon Westaway, executive director of the Australian Tourism Industry Council, tells CNN Travel that while the fires are vast, “Sydney, Melbourne, the Gold Coast and the Barrier Reef, as with much of Australia, is in essence unaffected by these fires.”
Tourism Australia released a general press statement on January 3, taking a similar tone by writing “many areas are unaffected and most tourism businesses are still open.”
“It is more important than ever that we rally around our communities and the tourism sector who may have been impacted,” Phillipa Harrison, managing director of Tourism Australia, said in the statement.
“We would encourage all travelers coming to Australia to seek the most up-to-date information prior to departure, and remain informed about changing conditions whilst on the ground.”
Fires have hit every Australian state, but New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria – home to the cities of Sydney and Melbourne, respectively – are presently in the worse shape.
Victoria is currently under a state of disaster and NSW has declared a state of emergency – both granting extraordinary powers and additional government resources to battle the fires. However, two of Victoria’s most popular tourist destinations – Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island – are safe to visit, according to Tourism Australia.
Sydney itself is presently safe from the fires, as is Melbourne, though the coastal regions between these two cities have been hit hard – particularly the South Coast, which stretches south from Sydney to the Victoria border. Authorities in early January dubbed this a “Tourist Leave Zone,” advising travelers to evacuate. The Blue Mountains have also been impacted by fires.
Air quality is also a concern, so travelers heading to destinations with poor conditions may want to consider wearing P2 rated masks, which can filter out the hazardous microscopic PM2.5 particles produced by bushfire smoke.
The Australian Capital Territory is now under a state of alert. The Australian federal government department responsible for managing emergencies shut its Canberra office due to poor air quality on Monday, however local media reports the situation has improved. Canberra currently has an AQI rating of “Unhealthy.”
South Australia, popular for its vineyards, is also facing several heavy fires but air quality in its capital, Adelaide, is currently rated as “moderate.”
Off the coast of South Australia, popular tourist getaway Kangaroo Island has been severely affected by the fires as well.
Several of the island’s resorts have been destroyed or badly damaged, according to CNN affiliate 7 News, as well as large swaths of Flinders National Park.
Queensland, which recently faced its own spate of fires, reportedly has the situation under control. Nevertheless, “bushfire warnings are in place and visitors should ensure they stay up-to-date with the latest information and advice being issued by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES),” advises the Queensland Tourism body.
Queensland state capital Brisbane’s air quality is currently ranked “moderate” by AQI.
All of Queensland’s major attractions, including Cairns, the Whitsundays and the Gold Coast are not affected by the fires, according to Tourism Australia.
At the moment, Western Australia is dealing with several blazes but these are reportedly under control and the state – including capital Perth – remains safe to visit. Air quality in Perth is currently rated “good.”
Authorities in Northern Territory, home to Kakadu National Park and Uluru, are dealing with a handful of fires but overall the state is safe to visit and no major attractions are impacted.
State specific info, including real-time fire alerts and maps can be found at the following websites:
Australia’s primary emergency call service number is Triple Zero (000), which can be dialed from any fixed or mobile phone.
Unfortunately, Australia is only just entering its summer season. Normally, temperatures peak in January and February, meaning the country could be months away from finding relief.
The fires are unlikely to end entirely since they are an annually occurring event – and may even get worse if recent years are an indicator.
For information on how you can help victims of the bushfires, read this CNN guide.
In terms of the affect these devastating fires will have on the country’s travel industry, Australia Tourism staff tell CNN Travel they are currently gathering feedback and monitoring impacts on future bookings closely as the situation unfolds. But for now, their focus is on the present.
“The number one priority right now continues to be the emergency response to these devastating bushfires and the safety of communities and tourists in affected areas,” Tourism Australia managing director Harrison tells CNN Travel in an email.
“As we have seen, a number of regional destinations have been affected and people’s travel plans have been impacted but at this stage it is too early to quantify the full impact of the bushfires on the tourism industry.”
She adds that past severe weather events and natural disasters have shown that tourism is an extremely resilient sector.
“When affected communities are ready to once again welcome visitors, tourism will continue to play an important role in their supporting their recovery,” says Harrison.
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