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The Australian bushfires have destroyed over 15.6 million acres so far and taken 24 lives as they’ve raged on since September. The crisis has prompted many celebrities to use their platform to ask their fans to help and pledge financial support on their own to the victims and firefighters there. Chris Hemsworth, the Australian actor behind Thor, made a passionate appeal on his social media last night. He pledged $1 million of his own fortune will go to aid and encouraged his fans to donate what they can too. His younger brother, actor Liam Hemsworth, retweeted his message.
Chris said in his video, “Hey guys, as you’re well aware, the bush fires in Australia have caused massive devastation. They continue to burn; there’s warmer weather on its way. We’re really still in the thick of it here, as there’s plenty of challenging times ahead and still to come. So what we need is your support and your donations. I’m going to put forward $1 million and was hoping that all of you could contribute in any way, shape or form. Every dollar counts. That money goes directly to the firefighters, the people on the front lines, the people who have suffered, the communities that have taken a hit and who are in desperate need of our support. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s sent all their well wishes and donations already. It’s greatly appreciated in Australia. But dig deep, and lots of love and we’ll keep pushing forward. Cheers!”
He set up a page of links to various organizations fans can contribute money to, including the Australian Red Cross and World Wildlife Fund. You can see all the organizations here and donate to all or whichever you can.
For more on how to help the victims of the Australian wildfires, see ELLE’s guide here.