Leonardo DiCaprio’s environmental alliance commits $5 million to preserve burning Amazon rainforest

The fire-ravaged Amazon is receiving help in high places, with one of Hollywood’s biggest stars putting his money where his mouth is.

Earth Alliance, a new environmental foundation created by climate change crusader Leonardo DiCaprio and his philanthropic friends, has pledged $US5 million ($A7.45 million) in aid to help repair the fire-ravaged Amazon.

The rainforest has been burning for three weeks after wildfires swept the region at the highest rate since records began in 2013.

The number of fires burning is up 80 per cent over the same period in 2018 and humans are likely to blame.

RELATED: Brazilian President Bolsonaro blames NGOs for blazes

RELATED: NASA releases disturbing photos of Amazon fire

RELATED: Burning Amazon plunges Brazil’s largest city into dusk

A new environmental foundation backed by Leonardo DiCaprio is pledging $5 million in aid to the Amazon.

DiCaprio, alongside Laurene Powell Jobs and Brian Sheth, launched the Amazon Forest Fund on the organisation’s website on Sunday, announcing an initial commitment of $5 million to focus critical resources on the key protections needed to maintain the “lungs of the planet”.

The alliance is also seeking donations to help salvage the rainforest.

According to the foundation’s website, the collected funds will be distributed to local partners and indigenous communities working to protect the forest, its wildlife and the planet.

“Earth Alliance has formed an emergency Amazon Forest Fund with $5m to focus critical resources for indigenous communities and other local partners working to protect the biodiversity of the Amazon against the surge of fires,” the organisation tweeted.

#EarthAlliance has formed an emergency Amazon Forest Fund with $5m to focus critical resources for indigenous communities and other local partners working to protect the biodiversity of the Amazon against the surge of fires. Learn more & donate: https://t.co/uG2WoEoKqx pic.twitter.com/IbcubQCO4v

— Earth Alliance (@earthalliance) August 25, 2019

Earth Alliance’s emergency fund will be dispersed between five local groups working to combat the fires. They are: Instituto Associacao Floresta Protegida, Co-ordination of the Indigenous Organisations of the Brazilian Amazon, Instituto Kabu, Instituto Raoni and Instituto Socioambiental.

The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) merged with Earth Alliance in July to “help address the urgent threats to our planet’s life support systems”,

The latest official figures show 79,513 forest fires have been recorded in Brazil this year. More than half of those are in the Amazon. Picture: Victor Moriyama

Madonna, singer Camila Cabello, Zoe Kravitz, Lil Nas X and Viola Davis were among other celebrities sharing posts to raise awareness.