YEA (Australia) - A BLAZE in Australia's nearly burned-out wildfire zone flared up and menaced a town on Friday in a reminder that the country's worst fire disaster may not be over yet. The death toll stood at 181 and was expected to rise beyond 200.
The tally of destroyed homes jumped by 762 to a total of about 1,800 in the wave of hundreds of wildfires that struck Victoria state a week ago. Australia prepared for a day of mourning, with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd saying 'It is important, it is very important that the nation grieves'.
Briton killed in wildfires
LONDON - A BRITISH national was among at least 181 people killed in the wildfires in Australia, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.
Press reports suggest the victim is Elizabeth Liesfield, 44, who moved to Australia 20 years ago where she met her husband, Rod. She was killed alongside her two teenage sons, James and Matthew, but her husband survived.
LONDON - BRITAIN'S Prince Charles said on Thursday he was 'horrified' at the bush fires in Australia, which have left at least 181 people dead, and expressed his sympathy for the families of the victims.
'Both my wife and I were so horrified along with so many other people in this country by the extent of the bush fires, because I know every year Australia suffers from dreadful events, but this year some how it's even more dreadful,' the heir to the throne told a reception Thursday night.
In one of more than a dozen blazes firefighters were still struggling to contain, flames hit a patch of extra-dry timber in a valley about 3km from Healesville, flaring up and sending embers and smoke over the town, said Stuart Ord of Victoria state's Department of Sustainability and the Environment.
'The fire's been backing down a gully. It's obviously either reached some dry fuels, or sometimes in a gully we have erratic winds,' Mr Ord said, after fire officials issued a warning that town residents should patrol their properties for airborne embers.
Firefighters raced to take advantage of cooler weather, rain and lighter winds and lit controlled burns Friday in efforts to prevent further breakouts, and smoke still clouded the sky over part of the 400,000-hectare disaster zone.
More than 400 fires ravaged the state during extremely hot and windy conditions last Saturday. The blazes left at least 5,000 homeless and officials said the death toll could still rise above 200.
Victoria state Emergency Services Commissioner Bruce Esplin said on Friday that the tally of destroyed homes stood at 1,831.
Officials said the nation had pledged a total of more than A$75 million (S$XX million) in donations to various charity funds for survivors. Rudd ordered military bases to be opened to house some of the homeless.
'In recognition of the terrible events of the past few days... there will be a national day of mourning and a national service of mourning for the victims of the Victorian bush fires,' Mr Rudd told Parliament on Thursday. The date has not yet been chosen.
Compounding the sorrow for families of victims was that the Victoria state coroner's office has not released the bodies funerals, and officials said the wait could take up to two weeks. -- AP
