Apple to Donate Money to Support Fire Relief Efforts in Australia

Apple is donating funds to support fire fighting efforts in Australia, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on Twitter yesterday.

For the last two months, bushfires have been burning across Australia due to one of the worst droughts in history and record-breaking heat waves. More than nine people have died and more than 800 homes have been destroyed. Koalas and other wildlife have also been impacted by the ongoing fires.

More than nine people have died and more than 800 homes have been destroyed. Koalas and other wildlife have also been impacted by the ongoing fires.


Australia has more than 1,500 firefighters working to extinguish fires threatening homes near Sydney. Half of the bushfires in Australia have been contained as of this week, but the country is facing another heat wave and there are severe fire danger ratings in South Australia.

Apple often provides donations during major disasters and most recently donated money to help fight the wildfires in California.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Another Vehicle Brand Gaining iPhone Car Keys Support

Tuesday October 28, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to bring support for its digital car key feature to Jetour vehicles, according to evidence uncovered on Apple's backend by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Introduced in 2022, Car Keys allows an iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock a vehicle through the Wallet app. A digital version of a car key is stored in Wallet, and unlocking can be done by holding an Apple Watch or...

Top Rated Comments

5105973 Avatar
76 months ago
It’s been horrific, all the suffering and death the wildfires have wrought on humans and pets and wildlife all over the world, especially the last few years where the scale of the fires has been incredible and among the worst I’ve ever seen.

I’m kind of at a loss for words, but just wanted to pay my respects and to acknowledge that the people who have been fighting these fires and rescuing people and animals and homes are real heroes and have true courage. I’m glad Apple is doing something.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
citysnaps Avatar
76 months ago

And will surely catch flak for doing so. Some must complain when Apple does anything that doesn’t benefit them personally. Personally, I think it’s a nice gesture, and the contribution can only help. If I were one of those directly affected, I’d appreciate it even more.
Yeah...sadly, it's just another opportunity for the perpetually unhappy to dump on Apple for their efforts and contributions. No amount will ever be enough.

What's really awful is using a natural disaster where people and animals have lost their lives as a stage to crap on Apple.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacMarino Avatar
76 months ago
This year for Christmas, instead of spending money on presents, I asked family members if it was possible to use the money that would have been spent on them on the Country Fire Services instead. Many volunteers have been battling the fires locally in South Australia and no money comes from the government to further assist them in their heroic efforts. So to see Apple contribute to this effort is indeed marvellous and heartfelt. Whether for altruistic purposes or business reasons, at the end of the day, it will be money available to all those that have been affected by the fires and those that have had to spend the harrowing 40 degree + days fighting the fires on our behalf.

Thank you Apple!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chundles Avatar
76 months ago
Over 5 million hectares now (19300 square miles for the US folks) have burnt this fire season. The fires are too big to extinguish and no rain is likely until at least February. We’re also a good month or so away from the hottest time of the year.
Thanks Apple for the donations, it all helps and we need it.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ryanwarsaw Avatar
76 months ago

Just in time for end of year tax donation write-offs.
Well if Apple can do something useful with the money instead of giving it to the government that's a win-win.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
V_Man Avatar
76 months ago
Nice job
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)