[Ross]

The death toll from fires in southern Australia has reached at least 108, the worst in the country's history. Thousands of firefighters, aided by the army, are battling several major bush fires, and the number of dead is expected to rise as fires are put out.

Arsonists responsible for lighting the fires could be charged with murder, police have said. Entire towns in Victoria state were destroyed as fires were fanned by extreme temperatures and wind.

Temperatures are dropping now, but officials fear they will not be able to get the fires under control until there is substantial rain. "We could still have a lot worse," said Sharon Smee of Victoria's Country Fire Authority. "There's still hot spots out there and there's a lot of people who are really exhausted and tired."

'Absolutely horrific'
Firefighters have been battling against what are described as the worst conditions in Victoria's history.

Source

[KKBL]

OMG thats awful
there's only going to be more and more terrible stories like this in the future with glabal warming 'n all

[Ross]

The fires was started deliberately not by heat or anything.

[KKBL]

Originally posted by Ross
The fires was started deliberately not by heat or anything.

was it not partly started by haet though?because i heard on the news they had record high tempatures there yesterday.

[Ross]

Originally posted by KKBL

was it not partly started by haet though?because i heard on the news they had record high tempatures there yesterday.

Well the heat wouldn't help the problem - but it was started by a person/by people. But they've had strong winds now... so ye right in what ya saying, but it wouldn't of happened if someone didn't start it.

[Xander]

Its really tragic, I have been watching all the accounts of survivors and videos and its really shocking and upsetting by some of the things they were describing. My thoughts go out to all the families who have lost loved ones and friends.

[James]

I heard someone on the radio today, he was a 'fire ecologist' and he explained that firstly there's been 10 years of droughts and all the dead leaves and trees, 'litter' its called, has built up and acted as kindling for the fires. Also the trees have oils like eucalyptus which burn very quickly and he also said there hasn't been enough controlled fires carried in recent years to burn away the excess 'litter'.

This guy also explained the motivation behind the arsonists in that everyone is mesmorised by fire a little bit and some people that are pyromaniacs will start a fire then watch it develop from a hill-top.

It was really interesting. The also read out a report by someone who had to escape the flames and lost their house.