Elton John pledges $1 million to bushfire relief during Aussie concert

The Rocket Man singer has announced during his Aussie farewell tour that he’s donating an enormous sum of money to bushfire relief organisations.

Sir Elton John has announced a $1 million donation to victims of the “apocalyptic” bushfires in Australia during his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

The British music icon, 71, was performing at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Tuesday when he made the pledge to thousands of fans.

“You should all be in awe of the work that the firefighters are doing,” John said.

“There are people out there who have lost their lives trying to save homes, there are people who have lost their lives and their homes.

“And last, is the plight of the animals and loss of their habitat that frankly, is on a biblical scale and heartbreaking.

“Therefore tonight I will be pledging $1 million.”

The announcement received a standing ovation and roar of approval from the crowd.

“To see what is happening here breaks my heart … and I love Australia so much … and to those who have lost their homes I want to say God bless, I hope your lives will be repaired soon,” he said.

The music legend has been performing a series of shows in Australia in recent weeks. Picture AAP/David Clark

It wasn’t the only reference to Australia’s current crisis – prior to the show, fans were also greeted by volunteers collecting donations out the front.

Meanwhile, the Rocket Man star’s announcement comes as celebrity pledges pour in from all over the world.

On Tuesday, Aussie star Chris Hemsworth revealed he was donating $1 million to bushfire relief funds, while singer Pink, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, and Kylie and Dannii Minogue have all previously announced $500,000 donations to the cause.

It’s not just celebrities digging deep: Comedian Celeste Barber’s grassroots Facebook fundraiser has so far raised a staggering $44 million, much of it from everyday Australians and international wellwishers.

The Australian bushfires also dominated the conversation during the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles on Monday, with many award winners using their time on stage to draw attention to the ongoing crisis.

Here’s a list of organisations and charities you can donate to assist the people and animals affected by the bushfire crisis.