By Mark Glendenning - Jan 8, 2020, 6:36 PM ET

Rossi auctioning Bathurst helmet to help Australian wildlife

Alexander Rossi is offering the helmet he wore at last year's Bathurst 1000 for auction to raise money in support of

Wires Wildlife Rescue

, a charity working to help wildlife affected by the devastating bushfires that continue to rage across Australia.

According to some estimates, nearly half a billion animals have been affected by the fires in the state of New South Wales alone – where Bathurst is located – while the tally across the country is believed to exceed the one billion mark. More than 18 million acres have burned so far.

https://twitter.com/AlexanderRossi/status/1215017182473674757

To bid on Rossi's helmet,

click here

.

Rossi's auction follows a

similar one

by 2018 and 2019 Supercar champion and 2019 Bathurst winner Scott McLaughlin. Bidding on the DJR Team Penske driver's 2017 helmet had reached more than AUD $46,000 (USD $31,000) when this story went to press, with four days still to run. McLaughlin plans to match the final bid with his own donation.