Dolly Parton donates to wildfire victims

Country music icon Dolly Parton’s home and businesses in East Tennessee were spared from deadly wildfires last month, but she’s pitching in to help her neighbours recover from the devastation.

She was to headline a telethon on Tuesday from Nashville, featuring performances from Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers, Hank Williams Jr, Chris Stapleton, Cyndi Lauper and more.

Parton is giving $1,000 (Dh3,672) to every family that has lost their primary residence through the Dollywood Foundation My People Fund. Parton said on Tuesday the wildfire victims may not be kin, but they “feel like my people.”

This Christmas, she’ll return home to Sevier County to see the damage from the fires that spread to more than 2,500 structures and killed 14 people.