Victoria On fire

Gday Everyone.I thank all that Inquired on my safety during these horrendous bush fires .
I am safe and well , And about 1 hr away from beechworth and 2hrs from the Wandong Whittlesea turn off, Well away from devastation these fires have caused.

Tonights post I sourced from daily papers and some Photo's I actually took from the Tv.during the news broadcast .

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A series of bushfires, including 31 major fires, ignited across the Australian state of Victoria, on 7 February 2009. The fires have so far resulted in at least 173 deaths, and 78 people have been admitted to hospitals across Victoria with burns, at least 20 in a critical condition, and 9 on life support or in intensive care,

The fires have destroyed at least 922 homes, Many towns northeast of Melbourne have been almost completely destroyed, particularly; Kinglake, Marysville, Narbethong and Strathewen .

The fires occurred during the latter part of an exceptional heat wave, on a day when several localities across the state, including the state capital of Melbourne, recorded their highest temperatures since records began in 1859. The numerous fires are largely the result of recent lightning strikes, although some are suspected to have been deliberately lit by arsonists—whose action has been described as "mass murder" by the Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

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Towns have been declared crime scenes and the death toll in Victoria's bushfires could top 200 as the grisly search for bodies continues in communities which have been completely wiped out.

By today, the toll had reached 173 but that figure was certain to climb as identification experts were called in to take over from volunteer firefighters with the grim task of recovering bodies.

Senior fire and parks officials have told staff they fear the toll will double.

More than 700 homes have been destroyed, 330,000 hectares have been burnt out and more than 52 fires were listed as still burning throughout the state on Monday.

It was impossible to tell how many people were missing, authorities said, while one insurance company said the fires could cost half a billion dollars.

The Kinglake area remains the worst-hit by a fierce 220,000 hectare firestorm which ripped through the region on Saturday, killing 103 people so far and destroying over 550 homes.

At least 33 residents from the township of Kinglake alone have been killed, and a further nine from Kinglake West, with more expected.

The once idyllic communities of Kinglake, Strathewen and Marysville are little more than collections of ash and charcoal, with a few burnt-out house frames standing limply amid charred corrugated iron.

"This is of a level of horror that few of us anticipated."

Burnt-out cars which became tombs lined bush roads in the central highlands and volunteers were recovering the charred remains of friends and colleagues.

Huge emergency relief operations are underway throughout the state, with a massive exercise at Whittlesea which is serving survivors from Kinglake and its environs.

Tent cities have been set up in areas such as nearby Yea, while caravans, community halls and strangers' houses have become homes to thousands of newly homeless alone have been killed, and a further nine from Kinglake West, with more expected.

I actually travel along here the Whittlesea/Wandong road, when i visit my son and his family