The death toll of the wildfires in Southern Australia has reached 96 with many more feared dead. Firefighters, along with the army and volunteers, are battling against numerous blazes across Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. Many of the dead were found in cars as residents fled towns North of Melbourne. Eye-witnesses report seeing walls of flames four storeys high which have engulfed towns and destroyed 115 sq miles of forest and farmland as well as 700 homes in Victoria. Elsewhere in the State, 14,000 homes have been left without power. Firefighters say that the "sheer speed and ferocity" of the fires left people trapped as strong, unpredictable fires combined with 47 degree heat spur on the inferno. Temperatures have dipped but fire officials say that its impact is insignificant and they will not be able to fully control the bushfires until there is rainfall.
Many of the fires are thought to be the work of arsonists with some extinguished blazes being relit. New South Wales Premier, John Rees, said that these criminals will be punished severely, adding that "we will through the book at you if you are caught." Police have said that the arsonists will also be charged with the murder of those killed by the fires on top of the 25 years they could serve for arson.
These fires are the worst in Australian history , where bush fires are common, killing far more than the 1983 wildfires, which killed 75 people on a day that has become known as Ash Wednesday. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said "Hell in all its fury has visited the good people of Victoria in the last 24 hours," and has ordered troops into the state to help tackle the infernos.
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