As the wildfires continue to devastate in Australia, Elton John and Chris Hemsworth have each donated $1 million to support relief efforts on the continent. Since the bushfires began ravaging the area months ago, there have been more than 20 human casualties, thousands of wildlife in the region have died and millions of acres have been scorched.
John announced his donation during his concert in Sydney and received a standing ovation from the crowd of concertgoers.
“We should all be in awe of the work the firefighters are doing,” he told the crowd. “There are people out there who have lost their lives trying to save homes, there are people who have lost their lives and their homes…and lastly, there’s the plight of the animals, a loss of their habitat that frankly is on a biblical scale and it’s heartbreaking.”
Hemsworth, who was born in Melbourne, Australia, shared the news of his charity on social media.
“Like you, I want to support the fight against the bushfires here in Australia,” he wrote on Instagram. “Hopefully you guys can chip in too. Every penny counts so whatever you can muster up is greatly appreciated. In my bio I’ve added links to support the fire fighters, organisations [sic] and charities who are working flat out to provide support and relief during this devastating and challenging time.”
Australian comedian Celeste Barber has also helped contribute funds. In a mere four day’s time, Barber’s Facebook fundraiser collected over $26 million from more than 946,000 people. The proceeds will go to New South Wales Rural Fire Service & Brigades.
Additionally, she shared a video of her mother-in-law Joy Robinson who, after evacuating her home in Eden, was seen criticizing Australian prime minister Scott Morrison. “This is Australia’s war,” she captioned the photo, quoting Robinson.
The cause has drawn world wide attention over the past few days with other celebrities like Pink, Nicole Kidman, and Hugh Jackman offering their support. The Golden Globes further put Australia on the main stage as many attendees shared heartfelt words for those suffering.