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Two quizzed over Australia fires Australia to rethink fire policy
(40 minutes later)
Police are questioning two people in relation to the bushfires in south-east Australia that have killed at least 181 people and left 5,000 homeless. The Australian government has said it would remove bureaucratic hurdles that have prevented the creation of a nationwide fire alert system.
Detectives had responded to a report of suspicious behaviour in a badly fire-hit area of Victoria state, they said. It is thought that such a system could have saved lives at the weekend, when bushfires tore through the state of Victoria, killing at least 181 people.
The investigations are in their initial stages, and police would not say if the two being questioned were suspects or in custody. Neither has been charged. A massive police inquiry is continuing into Australia's worst-ever bushfires.
At least two of the deadly fires were started deliberately, authorities say. Earlier, police reportedly quizzed two men in connection with allegations of looting in a badly fire-hit area.
Despite rain overnight and cooler weather on Thursday, firefighters were continuing to battle several blazes, and a massive police investigation was continuing into the worst bushfires in Australia's history. name="story"> Fundraising
class="bodl" href="#map">See map of fires Privacy laws and arguments over funding have been obstacles in the way of a nationwide telephone fire alert system - but the federal government has indicated that it will move quickly to create one.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced a day of national mourning and said there would be a memorial service to remember the victims of the bushfires. name="story"> class="bodl" href="#map">See map of firesSuch a system may have saved lives by sending text messages to mobile phones urging residents to flee.
Hollywood actors Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman, Olympian Cathy Freeman and cricketer Shane Warne are among the Australian celebrities throwing their weight behind a national telethon later on Thursday to help raise money for fire victims. Police now believe that arsonists were responsible for at least two of the deadly fires.
Victorian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon said a fire in Churchill - about 90 miles (140km) south-east of Melbourne - which killed at least 21 people, was deliberately started.
Nicole Kidman is one of the celebrity names supporting the telethonShe added that it was possible a devastating blaze that killed at least 15 people in the town of Marysville was the work of arsonists.
Police would charge anyone suspected of starting one of the fatal bushfires with murder by arson, which carries a maximum 25-year jail penalty, she said.
Later on Thursday, a telethon is being broadcast on national television to help raise money for those affected by the fires.
Some of Australia's biggest stars throwing their weight behind the event include actors Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman, Olympian Cathy Freeman and cricketer Shane Warne.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced a day of national mourning, and said there would be a memorial service to remember the victims of the bushfires.
Mr Rudd has described the bushfires as "mass murder", and pledged to rebuild damaged communities, with no limit on federal spending.
The fires injured some 500 people, left nearly 5,000 people homeless and razed 450,000 hectares (1.1 million acres) of land.
Difficult identificationDifficult identification
Despite rain overnight and cooler weather on Thursday, firefighters were continuing to battle several blazes.
With bodies still being retrieved from some charred towns, police have barred some residents from returning to their homes, saying the scenes would be too gruesome to bear.With bodies still being retrieved from some charred towns, police have barred some residents from returning to their homes, saying the scenes would be too gruesome to bear.
Arson investigators said earlier they had found six main sources of the fires. Advertisement Advertisement
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announces a national day of mourning for victims of the Victorian bushfires Burnt-out vehicles and metal roofs are all that remain in Kinglake
Victorian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon said arsonists were responsible for the fire that raged through the town of Churchill - about 90 miles (140km) southeast of Melbourne - killing at least 21 people. Marysville - a town that was virtually wiped out - remains cordoned off.
She added that it was possible a devastating blaze that killed at least 15 people in the town of Marysville had been set deliberately, as there seemed to be no explanation for how it started. Investigators were still scouring the town where 80% of buildings were destroyed, and they had not been able to identify and remove all bodies, State Premier John Brumby said.
Police were prepared to charge anyone suspected of starting one of the fatal bushfires with murder by arson, which carries a maximum 25-year jail penalty, she said. Up to 100 of the town's 500 residents may have been killed, adding that he thought the final death toll would top 200.
Marysville remains cordoned off, and State Premier John Brumby said up to 100 of its 500 residents may have been killed, adding that he thought the final death-toll would top 200.
Investigators were still scouring the town where 80% of buildings were destroyed, and they had not been able to identify and remove all bodies, he added.
"There are still deceased persons in homes," he said.
Mr Brumby said he was aware of "several" fires being lit northeast of Melbourne late on Tuesday.
'Strange people'
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 sift through the charred remains of their homes
In Kinglake on Wednesday, residents were allowed to return to the charred remains of their homes for the first time since the devastation.In Kinglake on Wednesday, residents were allowed to return to the charred remains of their homes for the first time since the devastation.
Ms Nixon said there had been several reports of looting in the affected areas.Ms Nixon said there had been several reports of looting in the affected areas.
"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.
Mr Rudd has described the bushfires as "mass murder", and pledged to rebuild damaged communities, with no limit on federal spending.
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