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Australian bushfires: Pink donates $500K, Bindi Irwin cares for animal victims

Pink has donated $500,000 to the Australian fire departments battling bushfires. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
1 of 3 | Pink has donated $500,000 to the Australian fire departments battling bushfires. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

Jan. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. singer and songwriter Pink announced Saturday she donated $500,000 to help fight the bushfires in Australia.

"I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires. I am pledging a donation of $500,000 directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz," the recording artist tweeted.

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Pink also posted a list of websites for fire departments where people may send money if they want to help.

Talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres also urged her Twitter followers to contribute to the aid efforts.

"It's almost impossible to understand the size and destruction of the fires in Australia. Here are three organizations I've already donated to. I hope you'll donate, too @NSWRFS @RedCrossAU @WIRES_NSW," DeGeneres tweeted.

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Members of the Irwin family -- conservationists and television personalities who run the Australia Zoo -- have been caring for animals injured and displaced by the blazes.

"Our hearts break for the people and wildlife who have lost so much in the current Australian bushfires. We're safe here @AustraliaZoo and our entire zoo family is safe too. The fires are not near us however we are treating so many animals at our Wildlife Hospital," Bindi Irwin tweeted.

"Flying foxes are among the most affected by the fires in NSW," Bindi's mom Terri wrote in her own post. "Hundreds are being transported to Queensland for help. We urgently need to build more care facilities to house this ever growing number of patients. Thank you to everyone who is generously helping us now."

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Saturday that up to 3,000 reservists will be deployed to help fight the fires, offer aid to affected communities and reopen roads.

More than 15 million acres across the continent have been burned and 1,000 homes destroyed. The bushfire death toll since September is 23.

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