One person has died and 300 properties have been destroyed in bushfires that have torn across south-east Australia. The fires have raged in dozens of locations across the country for several days, mostly in the state of Victoria, but also in New South Wales, burning through land almost twice the size of Greater London.
A state of emergency has been declared in Victoria as thousands of firefighters and more than 70 aircraft battle the blaze. Residents in more than a dozen communities have been advised to leave their homes.
Authorities fear the fires, which are being fuelled by very hot, dry and windy conditions, could burn for several weeks.
Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan stated that 30 active fires were burning across the state, 10 of which are particularly concerning. As of early Sunday local time, around 350,000 hectares have been burnt. Allan cautioned that the worst of the crisis is still ahead, with active flames threatening homes.
In gobur, near Longwood, human remains were discovered, and authorities are working to identify the victim. The emotional toll on first responders has been acknowledged, with Premier Allan highlighting the difficulty of the recovery work.
Additionally, bushfire smoke is affecting air quality, including in metropolitan Melbourne, raising concerns about public health. This latest disaster is the worst in southeast Australia since the devastating fires of 2019-2020, which resulted in numerous casualties and long-term health effects due to smoke inhalation.
As reports of destruction emerge from communities like Harcourt, which suffered immense damage, firefighters reflect on personal losses while continuing to battle the flames. Eyewitness accounts describe catastrophic destruction across the region, with the remnants of family homes often reduced to rubble.
A state of emergency has been declared in Victoria as thousands of firefighters and more than 70 aircraft battle the blaze. Residents in more than a dozen communities have been advised to leave their homes.
Authorities fear the fires, which are being fuelled by very hot, dry and windy conditions, could burn for several weeks.
Victoria's Premier Jacinta Allan stated that 30 active fires were burning across the state, 10 of which are particularly concerning. As of early Sunday local time, around 350,000 hectares have been burnt. Allan cautioned that the worst of the crisis is still ahead, with active flames threatening homes.
In gobur, near Longwood, human remains were discovered, and authorities are working to identify the victim. The emotional toll on first responders has been acknowledged, with Premier Allan highlighting the difficulty of the recovery work.
Additionally, bushfire smoke is affecting air quality, including in metropolitan Melbourne, raising concerns about public health. This latest disaster is the worst in southeast Australia since the devastating fires of 2019-2020, which resulted in numerous casualties and long-term health effects due to smoke inhalation.
As reports of destruction emerge from communities like Harcourt, which suffered immense damage, firefighters reflect on personal losses while continuing to battle the flames. Eyewitness accounts describe catastrophic destruction across the region, with the remnants of family homes often reduced to rubble.
