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| More Australian arsonists hunted | More Australian arsonists hunted |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Australian officials suspect arsonists were responsible for starting fresh fires in Victoria, as a dozen bushfires continued to burn in the state. | Australian officials suspect arsonists were responsible for starting fresh fires in Victoria, as a dozen bushfires continued to burn in the state. |
| State Premier John Brumby said he was aware of "several" fires being lit deliberately in the Beechworth area northeast of Melbourne late on Tuesday. | State Premier John Brumby said he was aware of "several" fires being lit deliberately in the Beechworth area northeast of Melbourne late on Tuesday. |
| More than 180 people have been killed in fires since Saturday. | More than 180 people have been killed in fires since Saturday. |
| Bodies are still being retrieved, prompting police to bar residents from returning to some towns. | Bodies are still being retrieved, prompting police to bar residents from returning to some towns. |
| They said the sight of the burned bodies would be too distressing for residents. | They said the sight of the burned bodies would be too distressing for residents. |
| See map of fires | See map of fires |
| Amid on-going firefighting plus a wide-scale investigation into the country's worst fire disaster, Mr Brumby said of the most recent outbreaks: "There seems little doubt that these were deliberately lit." | Amid on-going firefighting plus a wide-scale investigation into the country's worst fire disaster, Mr Brumby said of the most recent outbreaks: "There seems little doubt that these were deliberately lit." |
| Arson investigators said they had found six main sources of Saturday's fires. They had found one case of foul play near the town of Churchill, about 90 miles (140km) southeast of Melbourne, and a suspect was being sought. | Arson investigators said they had found six main sources of Saturday's fires. They had found one case of foul play near the town of Churchill, about 90 miles (140km) southeast of Melbourne, and a suspect was being sought. |
| Four other fire sources were not suspicious and one, the Marysville fire, was not yet determined, investigators said. | Four other fire sources were not suspicious and one, the Marysville fire, was not yet determined, investigators said. |
| Difficult identification | Difficult identification |
| In Marysville, which remains cordoned off, Mr Brumby said 50 to 100 of the town's 500-odd residents could have been killed. Only eight have so far been confirmed dead. | In Marysville, which remains cordoned off, Mr Brumby said 50 to 100 of the town's 500-odd residents could have been killed. Only eight have so far been confirmed dead. |
| "There are still deceased persons in homes," he said. Police, fire officials and soldiers had still not been able to identify and remove all bodies, he added. | "There are still deceased persons in homes," he said. Police, fire officials and soldiers had still not been able to identify and remove all bodies, he added. |
| The Bureau of Meteorology said the temperature on Saturday - the worst day for the fires - reached 46.4 Celsius in Melbourne, a hotter day than 13 January 1939, when bushfires killed 71 people.Kinglake residents returned to find a town destroyed | The Bureau of Meteorology said the temperature on Saturday - the worst day for the fires - reached 46.4 Celsius in Melbourne, a hotter day than 13 January 1939, when bushfires killed 71 people.Kinglake residents returned to find a town destroyed |
| With cooler weather on Wednesday, firefighters continued to battle blazes, but gusting winds were a constant threat. | With cooler weather on Wednesday, firefighters continued to battle blazes, but gusting winds were a constant threat. |
| Country Fire Authority (CFA) Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Warrington told the Australian Associated Press that fires near Bunyip and Kinglake could merge and threaten more towns if they are fanned by northerly winds forecast for Saturday. | Country Fire Authority (CFA) Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Warrington told the Australian Associated Press that fires near Bunyip and Kinglake could merge and threaten more towns if they are fanned by northerly winds forecast for Saturday. |
| "There is a huge effort going on minimising the impact of that fire as we speak," he said. | "There is a huge effort going on minimising the impact of that fire as we speak," he said. |
| In Kinglake, residents were allowed to return to the melted and burned remains of their homes for the first time since the devastation. | In Kinglake, residents were allowed to return to the melted and burned remains of their homes for the first time since the devastation. |
| There have also been several reports of looting in the affected areas, according to Victoria's Chief Commissioner of Police, Christine Nixon. | There have also been several reports of looting in the affected areas, according to Victoria's Chief Commissioner of Police, Christine Nixon. |
| "Certainly some [firefighting] volunteers and citizens have told us that they have seen strange people in their neighbourhoods," she said. | "Certainly some [firefighting] volunteers and citizens have told us that they have seen strange people in their neighbourhoods," she said. |
| The fires injured some 500 people, destroying nearly 1,000 homes and torching 365,000 hectares (902,000 acres) of land. | The fires injured some 500 people, destroying nearly 1,000 homes and torching 365,000 hectares (902,000 acres) of land. |
| Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has promised that damaged communities will be rebuilt, with no limit on federal spending. | Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has promised that damaged communities will be rebuilt, with no limit on federal spending. |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |
| 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? |
| Send your comments using the post form below. | Send your comments using the post form below. |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |