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| Australia fire toll rises to 135 | |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| The number of deaths from wildfires that have already claimed 135 lives in the Australian state of Victoria is likely to rise, officials have warned. | |
| Police believe some of the fires were started deliberately - actions which Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said amounted to "mass murder". | Police believe some of the fires were started deliberately - actions which Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said amounted to "mass murder". |
| Survivors have recounted how they fled walls of flames. Some people died in their cars trying to escape the fires. | Survivors have recounted how they fled walls of flames. Some people died in their cars trying to escape the fires. |
| Some rural towns have been almost completely destroyed. | Some rural towns have been almost completely destroyed. |
| A number of sites have been sealed off by police as possible crime scenes. | A number of sites have been sealed off by police as possible crime scenes. |
| An area of 3,000 sq km (1,200 sq miles) has been affected. | An area of 3,000 sq km (1,200 sq miles) has been affected. |
| See map of fire-hit areas | See map of fire-hit areas |
| Temperatures had dropped and conditions improved on Monday to help the tens of thousands of firefighters, backed by soldiers, bring the fires under control. | Temperatures had dropped and conditions improved on Monday to help the tens of thousands of firefighters, backed by soldiers, bring the fires under control. |
| But there are around 30 fires still burning in Victoria state with several communities at risk, officials said. | But there are around 30 fires still burning in Victoria state with several communities at risk, officials said. |
| Two other states - New South Wales and South Australia - have also been hit by blazes, but the fires there are said to be largely contained or burning away from residential areas. | Two other states - New South Wales and South Australia - have also been hit by blazes, but the fires there are said to be largely contained or burning away from residential areas. |
| 'Furnace-like heat' | 'Furnace-like heat' |
| Shocking stories are emerging from survivors in the worst-hit areas. AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRES 16 February 1983: 75 dead, 2,300 homes destroyed in "Ash Wednesday" bushfires in Victoria and South Australia8 January 1969: At least 22 dead, 230 homes lost in rural Victoria7 February 1967: 62 dead, 1,300 homes destroyed in fires in Hobart, Tasmania13 January 1939: 71 dead, 700 homes destroyed in "Black Friday" fires in VictoriaFebruary - March 1922: 60 die in Gippsland, eastern Victoria 'Pretty certain my house has gone' | Shocking stories are emerging from survivors in the worst-hit areas. AUSTRALIAN BUSH FIRES 16 February 1983: 75 dead, 2,300 homes destroyed in "Ash Wednesday" bushfires in Victoria and South Australia8 January 1969: At least 22 dead, 230 homes lost in rural Victoria7 February 1967: 62 dead, 1,300 homes destroyed in fires in Hobart, Tasmania13 January 1939: 71 dead, 700 homes destroyed in "Black Friday" fires in VictoriaFebruary - March 1922: 60 die in Gippsland, eastern Victoria 'Pretty certain my house has gone' |
| The BBC's Nick Bryant, at a relief centre in the hamlet of Whittlesea - near the devastated town of Kinglake - said people thought they had hours when in fact they only had minutes to escape the fast advancing flames. | The BBC's Nick Bryant, at a relief centre in the hamlet of Whittlesea - near the devastated town of Kinglake - said people thought they had hours when in fact they only had minutes to escape the fast advancing flames. |
| Some described escaping down roads lined with burning trees, while their cars caught fire in the furnace-like heat. | Some described escaping down roads lined with burning trees, while their cars caught fire in the furnace-like heat. |
| Another man said he siphoned off the water from his vehicle's radiator to try to save the life of a neighbour who had been set alight. | Another man said he siphoned off the water from his vehicle's radiator to try to save the life of a neighbour who had been set alight. |
| "Balls of fire would rain out of the sky long before we actually saw the wall of flames coming through the trees," Christopher Barnes, of Kinglake, said. | "Balls of fire would rain out of the sky long before we actually saw the wall of flames coming through the trees," Christopher Barnes, of Kinglake, said. |
| "The sounds are incredible. I thought at the start that it was thunder and it was actually the sounds of the fire coming through the bush." | "The sounds are incredible. I thought at the start that it was thunder and it was actually the sounds of the fire coming through the bush." |
| Karen Farthing, a nurse in the emergency department of Victoria hospital, said people had been struggling to get to work because roads were blocked and trees had fallen. | Karen Farthing, a nurse in the emergency department of Victoria hospital, said people had been struggling to get to work because roads were blocked and trees had fallen. |
| "[Here] it has been very busy. We've been treating firemen with burns, and sadly getting lots of dead on arrivals," she told the BBC News website. | "[Here] it has been very busy. We've been treating firemen with burns, and sadly getting lots of dead on arrivals," she told the BBC News website. |
| A former Melbourne newsreader, Brian Naylor, and his wife were among those killed on Saturday when the flames took hold in the Kinglake district. | A former Melbourne newsreader, Brian Naylor, and his wife were among those killed on Saturday when the flames took hold in the Kinglake district. |
| Many residents of fire-ravaged towns are now embroiled in a desperate search for friends and relatives missing since the flames tore through the tiny communities. | Many residents of fire-ravaged towns are now embroiled in a desperate search for friends and relatives missing since the flames tore through the tiny communities. |
| The bodies of people have already been found trapped in the burnt-out wreckage of cars and homes, and investigators fear more will be found when a full search of the charred settlements can be carried out. | The bodies of people have already been found trapped in the burnt-out wreckage of cars and homes, and investigators fear more will be found when a full search of the charred settlements can be carried out. |
| 'Emotional' | 'Emotional' |
| Prime Minister Rudd announced an aid package of A$10m ($7m, £4.5m). | Prime Minister Rudd announced an aid package of A$10m ($7m, £4.5m). |
| Australia is a tough country to live in - we have had no rain for eight weeks and that is why so much is burning Alison Blakeley, Melbourne Your comments: Australian firesNick Bryant: Worst of days | Australia is a tough country to live in - we have had no rain for eight weeks and that is why so much is burning Alison Blakeley, Melbourne Your comments: Australian firesNick Bryant: Worst of days |
| He said immediate cash payments would be available for victims, and announced the army would help in the recovery efforts. | He said immediate cash payments would be available for victims, and announced the army would help in the recovery efforts. |
| An emotional Mr Rudd described as "numbing" the numbers of dead, and warned: "I fear they will rise further". | An emotional Mr Rudd described as "numbing" the numbers of dead, and warned: "I fear they will rise further". |
| Asked about suspicions that arsonists were responsible for at least some of the fires, he said: "There are no words to describe it other than mass murder". | Asked about suspicions that arsonists were responsible for at least some of the fires, he said: "There are no words to describe it other than mass murder". |
| Australia's federal parliament was suspended to mark what Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard described "as one of the darkest days in Australia's history". | Australia's federal parliament was suspended to mark what Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard described "as one of the darkest days in Australia's history". |
| Meanwhile, Victoria Premier John Brumby has ordered a thorough review into the long-standing policy on dealing with wildfires. | Meanwhile, Victoria Premier John Brumby has ordered a thorough review into the long-standing policy on dealing with wildfires. |
| He admitted that the advice to residents - to evacuate early or stay and defend their homes - had on this occasion not worked. | He admitted that the advice to residents - to evacuate early or stay and defend their homes - had on this occasion not worked. |
| "There is no question that there were people there who did everything right, put in place their fire plan and it wouldn't matter, their house was just incinerated," Mr Brumby said. | "There is no question that there were people there who did everything right, put in place their fire plan and it wouldn't matter, their house was just incinerated," Mr Brumby said. |
| Australia's head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, has spoken of her "shock and sadness" at the number of deaths, and has praised the extraordinary work of the emergency crews at the scene. | Australia's head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, has spoken of her "shock and sadness" at the number of deaths, and has praised the extraordinary work of the emergency crews at the scene. |
| The British and New Zealand governments have both offered to help deal with the fires. | The British and New Zealand governments have both offered to help deal with the fires. |
| The Australian Red Cross, which has about 400 volunteers working in Victoria, has launched an appeal for donations. | The Australian Red Cross, which has about 400 volunteers working in Victoria, has launched an appeal for donations. |
| Bush fires are common in Australia, but the current blazes have eclipsed the death toll from what had been the previous worst fire in 1983, when 75 people died on a day that became known as Ash Wednesday. | Bush fires are common in Australia, but the current blazes have eclipsed the death toll from what had been the previous worst fire in 1983, when 75 people died on a day that became known as Ash Wednesday. |
| MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return | MAP OF THE REGION Click here to return |
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