Keith Urban + Nicole Kidman Pledge $500,000 to Australian Wildfire Relief Efforts
As rampant wildfires continue to ravage Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman's home country of Australia, the superstar couple is stepping up to make a difference. The superstar couple has pledged to donate $500,000 to the Rural Fire Services, which supports fighters and provides relief efforts.
"Our family's support, thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the fires all over Australia," Urban wrote on Instagram. "We are donating $500,000 to the Rural Fire Services who are all doing and giving so much right now."
In his post, the singer also listed links to the donation pages of several other organizations working to end the devastating fires, including the Rural Fire Brigades Association QLD and the SA Country Fire Service. On her Instagram, Kidman posted a similar message, along with even more relief organizations in need of donations.
For Urban and Kidman, the calamity is personal: They own a home in Australia which is threatened by the wildfires. "Their house is not on fire," said a representative for Kidman, according to Today. "It is under threat, so keeping a close eye on it."
Urban isn't the only country star to speak out about the devastation of the Australian wildfires. Singer and fellow Aussie Morgan Evans posted a series of images of the blaze on his Instagram, calling on fans and supporters to donate to the Australian Red Cross and the Salvation Army Australia. Evans' wife, fellow country star Kelsea Ballerini, also shared links to a variety of organizations' donation pages in her Instagram stories.
A number of artists outside of the country genre have also expressed their support for relief efforts in Australia, including rap superstar Lizzo and pop artist Pink, who also pledged $500,000 to local fire services battling the blaze.
Fueled by extreme heat and a long draught, the Australian wildfires have burned since September. In that time, the fire has consumed over 12 million acres of land, killing over 20 people. Additionally, according to University of Sydney ecologists, an estimated half a billion animals have died, with entire species under threat of extinction.