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Vow to rebuild fire-hit Australia Australia police target arsonists
(about 3 hours later)
Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has vowed his country would rally after the worst bushfires in its history. Police in Australia's wildfire-ravaged state of Victoria say they are confident of catching arsonists they suspect are behind some of the fires.
Mr Rudd told MPs that areas devastated by bushfires would be rebuilt "brick by brick" and "school by school". A 100-strong police investigation squad has been set up, and some scorched towns declared crime scenes.
The death toll so far is 173, but it is expected to rise significantly as the operation to recover bodies continues. Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described the possibility of arson as "murder on a grand scale".
A specialist police unit has been set up to track down arsonists blamed for some of the fires, which Mr Rudd described as "murder on a grand scale". The official death toll stands at 181, but is expected to rise steeply as the operation to recover bodies continues.
"We are left speechless at the thought and the possibility that some of these fires may have been deliberately lit," he told the Canberra parliament. About 500 people have been injured and nearly 1,000 homes destroyed across 365,000 hectares of torched land, said Mr Rudd.
"Let us attend to this unfinished business of the nation and come to grips with this evil thing." He told MPs that areas devastated by the worst bushfires in Australia's history would be rebuilt "brick by brick" and "school by school".
Mr Rudd told parliament the people of Victoria were not alone in this disaster
Some 500 people have been injured and nearly 10,000 homes destroyed across 365,000 hectares of torched land, said Mr Rudd.
Residents in parts of Victoria state are still on alert as more than a dozen fires continue to burn uncontrolled.Residents in parts of Victoria state are still on alert as more than a dozen fires continue to burn uncontrolled.
Despite cooler conditions than at the weekend, officials in Victoria have warned residents to watch out for embers blowing in from the blazes. Crime scenes
Mr Rudd promised damaged communities would be rebuilt, and there would be no limit on federal spending. NICK BRYANT'S AUSTRALIA One man said he hardly had time to react let alone move, so fast were the advancing walls of flames. class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/nickbryant/2009/02/resilience_amid_the_ashes.html">Read Nick's thoughts in full Victoria state police commissioner Christine Nixon has launched Operation Phoenix, vowing to catch anyone who started a blaze.
"We have deliberately made the decision to place no cap on the Commonwealth's contribution to the recovery and reconstruction effort," he said. Mr Rudd told parliament the people of Victoria were not alone in this disaster
Although it would take time and effort, he added, "we will rebuild each of these communities... until one day we can look back and say these towns have been reborn". One site where arson is suspected is Gippsland, east of Melbourne, which is among a number of sites which have been sealed off as possible crime scenes.
He appealed for charitable donations and said about A$15m (£6.8m) had been collected so far. Mr Rudd earlier announced an aid package of A$10m. Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland said suspected arsonists could face murder charges.
The Australian Red Cross has appealed for blood, money and clothes, as some people escaping from the fires fled their homes with only the clothes they were wearing. "We are left speechless at the thought and the possibility that some of these fires may have been deliberately lit," Prime Minister Rudd told the Canberra parliament.
Crime scenes? "Let us attend to this unfinished business of the nation and come to grips with this evil thing."
The 100-strong Task Force Phoenix will work with the Victoria state coroners' office, as well as fire and health authorities, to investigate all fire-related deaths. NICK BRYANT'S AUSTRALIA One man said he hardly had time to react let alone move, so fast were the advancing walls of flames. class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/nickbryant/2009/02/resilience_amid_the_ashes.html">Read Nick's thoughts in full The current official death toll is 181, but Victoria state premier John Brumby has warned that dozens of bodies remain unidentified, with others unrecovered, and the final toll is likely to exceed 200.
Detectives have already sealed off a number of sites, including the devastated small town of Maryville, as possible crime scenes. HOW BUSHFIRES SPREAD 1 Fires start in hot dry windy weather2 Embers blown ahead of fire front3 Spot fires start where embers land class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7879141.stm">Creating the perfect firestorm class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7879132.stm">Bushfire dilemma: Flee or fight? Victoria's Police Commissioner Christine Nixon said rescuers were carrying out a thorough search of charred areas.
In Australia, deliberately lighting a fire which results in death carries a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, while intentionally or recklessly causing a bushfire carries a 15-year maximum sentence. "Road by road, house by house, we are working our way through," she said.
Victoria's Police Commissioner Christine Nixon said rescuers were searching charred areas road by road and house by house.
"This the really worst part of the process for all of us. It is about a house-to-house and vehicle-to-vehicle, in some cases, to find those who've died," she said.
"As we go into areas now that we haven't been able to get into before, we believe we'll find many more.""As we go into areas now that we haven't been able to get into before, we believe we'll find many more."
Walls of flame HOW BUSHFIRES SPREAD 1 Fires start in hot dry windy weather2 Embers blown ahead of fire front3 Spot fires start where embers land class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7879141.stm">Creating the perfect firestorm class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7879132.stm">Bushfire dilemma: Flee or fight? Forensic investigators from around the country, including experts who helped to identify those killed in the Bali bombings in October 2002, have flown in to help the operation.
Forensic investigators from around the country, including experts who helped to identify those killed in the Bali bombings in October 2002, have flown in to help the operation. INTERACTIVE MAP class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7879911.stm">Audio slideshow: Fleeing the flames class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7878191.stm">Eyewitnesses describe their ordeal class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7878539.stm">Australian media: Wildfire horror class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/7878863.stm">Are you affected? See eyewitness reports and add your experiences Rebuilding
Forensic teams have the difficult task of identifying remains found in burnt-out houses and cars, says the BBC's Phil Mercer in Melbourne. Mr Rudd pledged that damaged communities would be rebuilt, with no limit on federal spending.
In the nearby town of Kinglake, vast areas have been reduced to ash, our correspondent says - a once-vibrant community scorched by fast-moving walls of flame. He appealed for charitable donations and said about A$15m (£6.8m) had been collected so far. He had earlier announced an aid package of A$10m.
A record heatwave and changing wind directions on Saturday helped fan the flames. US President Barack Obama was among a number of world leaders who called Mr Rudd to offer condolences and offers of help.
The Australian Red Cross has appealed for blood, money and clothes, as some people escaping from the fires fled their homes with only the clothes they were wearing. INTERACTIVE MAP Are you affected? See eyewitness reports and add your experiencesAudio slideshow: Fleeing the flamesEyewitnesses describe their ordealAustralian media: Wildfire horror
Talk of arson in the town of Whittlesea, north of Melbourne, provoked immediate fury, reports the BBC's Phil Mercer.
The thought that some of the devastation was manmade is, to many locals, incomprehensible.
A record heat wave and changing wind directions on Saturday helped fan the flames.
Many people are searching for loved ones among the survivors taking refuge in Victoria's relief centres.Many people are searching for loved ones among the survivors taking refuge in Victoria's relief centres.
Relatives concerned about family members in the affected areas can contact the Australian Red Cross 24-hour helpline on (0061) 393283716 or, from the UK, the British Red Cross international tracing and message service on 0845 053 2004.Relatives concerned about family members in the affected areas can contact the Australian Red Cross 24-hour helpline on (0061) 393283716 or, from the UK, the British Red Cross international tracing and message service on 0845 053 2004.
Are you affected by the fires? Do you have friends or relatives in the area?Are you affected by the fires? Do you have friends or relatives in the area?
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