A Freemasons group hopes to help victims of the Australian bushfires with a generous donation.

Hertfordshire Freemasons have contributed towards a grant of A$150,000 (£79,000) through the Masonic Charitable Foundation to the Disaster Relief Funds set up by Freemasons in Australia, in reaction to the Australian bush fires.

The English and Welsh Freemasons’ charity will then distribute A$50,000 each to the Australian states affected: New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.

Australia has been facing the worst wildfires the country has seen in decades with 27 deaths since September and thousands of homes destroyed.

In South Wales alone, there have been 2,136 homes destroyed, and hundreds of businesses and homes wrecked elsewhere in Australia due to the inferno.

A spokesperson for the Province of Hertfordshire, based in St Albans, said: “These terrible fires are an ongoing disaster for thousands of Australians.

“I’m pleased we are working together with Freemasons in Australia to raise funds to help victims of the blazes, many of whom have lost everything.”

Since the breakout in 2019, around 18 million acres of land has been burnt, destroying the environment and homes for many wildlife.

The crisis is ongoing and despite weather forecasts predicting heavy rain up to 25mm, it is unlikely to end the catastrophic bushfire.

The Masonic Charitable Foundations operates to donate millions of pounds each year to local and national charities for vulnerable people and to enhance the lives of others.