P!nk Donates $500,000 to Australian Firefighters as Bushfires Rage On

Australia is being ravished by one of the worst bush fire crises the world has seen in decades.

Due to soaring temperatures and one of the worst droughts in years, the relentless fires have been burning since September. We're currently in January. Just let that sink in.

New South Wales is suffering immensely at the moment.

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There have been fires reported in every state, but New South Wales is truly taking a beating by bush fires and is undoubtedly the hardest hit. According to CNN, so far, in New South Wales alone, more than 900 houses have been destroyed.

NSW declared a state of emergency last month.

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What does this mean? Well, it grants "extraordinary powers" to the NSWRFS commissioner, including the authority to allocate government resources and direct government agencies in taking action, according to CNN.

The raging fires have had a devastating impact...

The BBC reported that close to fifty bush fires continue to burn in populated coastal and inland regions to the city's north.

Seventeen people have been confirmed to have died in the fires since they started...

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Including several volunteer firefighters.

And it's not just the flames themselves that are having deadly consequences...

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Last month, the smoke was so bad in Sydney that air quality measured eleven times the "hazardous" level, CNN reports.

The Australian fire services have been stretched to their limits.

Firefighters all over the country have been tirelessly battling the formidable blazes and are struggling to contain them. Keep scrolling to see the heartbreaking pictures of the aftermath.

Australia has even been forced to make a global call for help...

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And it was Canada that was the first to respond and take action. The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, based in Winnipeg, answered the call for help after realizing the bush fire situation is expected to continue for many more weeks and gave up their Christmas to help fight the raging fires.

Other countries offered their assistance...

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Including the U.S. and New Zealand, who have sent in more firefighters to try and help tackles the blazes.

But even with assistance from overseas...

There seems to be no end to the blazes. In total, more than 5.9 million hectares (14.6 million acres) have been burned, CNN reports. And those who escaped the flames have lost their homes, with all their possessions perishing to the flames.

People have been desperately fleeing to beaches for cover.

And are left stranded awaiting evacuation. It's a truly heartbreaking sight.

How long could the fires actually be burning for?

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Sadly, Australia has only just entered summer, meaning temperatures could remain high for some weeks. In fact, temperatures usually reach their highest during January and February, so there may be no end in sight for months.

The fires have also had a devasting impact on wildlife.

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Several of Australia's native species have been affected including kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, possums, wombats, and echidnas. Keep scrolling to see the latest snaps showing the true devastation the fires have had on the native wildlife.

And the latest statistics are some of the most alarming yet.

Koalas have been amongst the hardest hit.

It's believed that at least a third of Koalas in New South Wales alone have perished in the flames.

But what's even more concerning...

And that's not all...

It's feared that animals that managed to survive the flames will need huge amounts of humanitarian assistance to get populations anywhere near back to what they used to be.

Residents have even been trying to rescue helpless animals themselves.

And of course, we all remember Lewis the Koala who was heroically rescued by a woman using the clothes off her back.

A staggering number of animals have perished in the fires.

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And its only set to get worse. But the number that surfaced this week is utterly heartbreaking.

Nearly half a billion animals have died.

Ecologists from the University of Sydney have said that it's thought around 480 million mammals, birds, and reptiles have died since September.

It's a heartbreaking statistic.

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But, despite the devastating reality of what is happening to the country, not all hope is gone.

Australian communities have rallied together in a bid to save the country's struggling wildlife.

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But there is one family, in particular, who have gone to exceptional measures to help the animals, birds, and reptiles of Australia.

The Irwins have stepped in.

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The late wife and children of the Australian wildlife enthusiast, and overall legend, Steve Irwin.

Terri, Bindi, and Robert are just as passionate about the planet as Steve was.

And the family have dedicated their lives to continuing Steve's legacy after his untimely death in 2006.

The 3 of them work together to provide vital conservation for animals and the environment...

And have kept Steve's pride and joy, Australia Zoo, up and running successfully.

But, amid the horrific bushfires, people have been concerned about the safety of the zoo.

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Is Australia Zoo and it's thousands of inhabitants safe from the deadly blaze?

Bindi recently took to Instagram to reassure people about Australia Zoo's safety...

And gave a lengthy insight into the incredible work the Irwins and the rest of the Australia Zoo team have done amid the deadly bushfire crisis.

The zoo currently remains safe from the blaze.

Bindi wrote, "With so many devastating fires within Australia, my heart breaks for the people and wildlife who have lost so much. I wanted to let you know that we are SAFE. There are no fires near us @AustraliaZoo or our conservation properties."

And the number of animals treated at the Irwin's animal hospital is simply staggering.

"Our Wildlife Hospital is busier than ever though, having officially treated over 90,000 patients." 90,000 animals, birds, and reptiles. What an incredible accomplishment.

And Bindi has promised to continue fighting for the animals.

It's what Steve would have wanted. "My parents dedicated our Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital to my beautiful grandmother." She wrote, "We will continue to honour her by being Wildlife Warriors and saving as many lives as we can." What an amazing family.

Now P!nk has joined the fight.

The American legend, P!nk donated a gargantuan $500,000 to the Australian firefighters in an effort to help them finally put an end to the devastation.

She couldn't ignore the fires.

Posting to Twitter, the singer explained that she just couldn't ignore the fires that are taking so many lives and crippling so much of Australian land. She wrote:

I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires.

She continued:

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 ❤️

Many are praising P!nk's actions.

Countless people have praised P!nk for her donation, including one Australian firefighter. The firefighter wrote:

As a NSW Rural firefighter, thank you so much for supporting our country during these horrific fires. You just keep proving again and again what an amazingly selfless human being you are.

Another thanked her saying:

Thank you! Omg I love you! This means the world to us Australians watching our country be engulfed in flames and all the animals and people doing it tough. I cannot thank you enough.

What an inspiration.

In such dark times as these, people like P!nk prove that there is still goodness in the world. Thank you P!nk.