World number one Ashleigh Barty has announced she will donate prize money from the Brisbane International to the bushfire relief fund.

The Australian revealed she would be donating the winnings from the tournament which if she wins will be around $A382,000.

Australia has been experiencing devastating bushfires with 24 people and an estimated 480 million animals killed since the fires began in September last year.

Barty has already contributed to fundraising for those affected by the bushfires, having donated $A30,000 to the RSPCA to help wildlife impacted by the national disaster.

At the pre-tournament press conference, Barty revealed she would be going one step further at the competition in Brisbane.

“Wildlife has been lost but it has also affected lives and homes so I have been sitting down and thinking with my team and family on ways we can help,” Barty said in Brisbane on Sunday.

“There have been really great initiatives from cricketers, tennis players, golfers, soccer players all over the country trying to help out.

“We have come to the decision any of my prize money here in Brisbane will be donated to the (Australian) Red Cross to go towards the families and homes affected,” she told the press on Sunday.

Tennis Australia will also be playing its part to help those affected by the bushfires ravaging parts of eastern Australia by donating $100 for every ace served at the ATP Cup in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrios started the initiative to make donations for every serve when he announced he would personally donate A$200 (£106) for each ace served during the competition.

Some of Barty’s fellow tennis players have joined the fundraising with Sam Stosur, Karolina Pliskova, Petra Kvitova and others also pledging to donate money for every ace served.

Maria Sharapova has also said she plans to donate an initial A$25,000 to the relief fund and asked Novak Djokovic to match her donation.