The devastating bushfires tearing through Australia have sent shockwaves around the globe.
From sending dangerous fumes into the air which have caused reports of people "choking" in the streets to forcing animals to flag down people in a desperate bid for help, the situation is showing no signs of lessening, with the government declaring an official state of emergency earlier this week.
The Australian state has declared a bushfire emergency:However, amid the chaos, there have been tales of hope. A joey koala found on the ground in September, which is when the blazes began, has managed to make a remarkable recovery, and Bindi Irwin revealed on social media that Australia Zoo has helped to save the lives of over 90,000 animals.
But in a situation where almost half a billion animals are believed to have lost their lives, among other forms of devastation, Australia needs all the help it can get.
This woman risked her life to save a koala from the wildfires:Now, big-name actors are pledging to help those affected, and Nicole Kidman is the latest, pledging $500,000 to Australian fire services battling the wildfires.
As per US Magazine, the actress, 52, attended the Gold Meets Golden pre-Golden Globes in Beverly Hills. However, an eyewitness told Us Weekly that she "looked very tired and sad."
This was because she was informed that her Australian home was under threat from the flames, an insider told Us.
Kidman is pictured below at the event:
"She just found out and got off a plane right before coming here," the insider said. "She was crying walking in."
While on the red carpet, she told interviewers: "I'm so sorry. I'm so distracted right now with everything that's happening in Australia."
Ultimately, Kidman was so upset that she left the event after just fifteen minutes.
The Big Little Lies actress subsequently took to Instagram to reveal the generous donation she was making. She encouraged others to do the same, sharing links to appropriate organizations.
Kidman captioned the post: "Our family's support, thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the fires all over Australia. We are donating $500,000 to the Rural Fire Services who are all doing and giving so much right now."
Yesterday, singer Pink revealed she would also be donating $500,000 to the fire departments fighting the wildfires:
Per the Metro, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has explained the situation and revealed that the worst is still yet to come: "We are in for a long night and we are still to hit the worst of it. It’s a very volatile situation."
How you can donate:
The NSW Rural Fire Service has multiple options for direct donations. You can donate to the RFS as a whole, or to specific brigades. You can donate through bank transfer, credit card or cheque.
For bank transfers, there is a set bank account (Account Name: NSW Rural Fire Service, BSB: 032-001, Account No: 171051). This account is for the RFS as a whole.
This link will take you to the landing page for credit card donations. You can donate to the RFS general fund or choose specific brigades from the dropdown box.
In Queensland, Fire and Rescue advise that you can donate both money and items through the website givit.org.au. The website allows fire-affected communities to list what they specifically need, from water tanks in Yeppoon to school uniforms in Zillmere.
In Victoria, the Country Fire Authority has two bank accounts - one for specific brigades and one for the general fund.
In South Australia, the Country Fire Service accepts donations through the CFS Foundation. You can donate to them here. You can also leave a bequest.
If you cannot find the particular brigade you are looking for, you can contact them directly.