Pink donates $500K to help with Australian fire relief

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Pop star Pink pitched in to help with relief in the deadly wildfires that raged through parts of Australia, pledging to donate $500,000.

The singer wrote on Twitter that she was pledging the cash directly to local fire services that are battling the blaze, which as of Saturday had killed 23 people and killed or displaced thousands of animals.

"I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires," Pink posted to her Twitter account. "My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz."

At least eight people died this past week in Victoria and New South Wales, which are Australia's most populous states, ITV reported.

Three fires combined to form a single blaze larger than the New York borough of Manhattan, CNN reported.

Australian comedian Celeste Barber appealed to her social media followers to chip in for relief efforts, and more than $12 million has been raised, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Meanwhile, the ABC's joint Disaster Relief and Recovery Appeal with the Australian Red Cross, which was launched New Year's Eve, has now raised more than $10 million, the network reported.