Battle against out-of-control fires rages in Australia

AUSTRALIA: Thousands of firefighters were Sunday battling eight blazes burning out of control in southeastern Australia a week after walls of flame ripped through rural towns, killing at least 181 people.

Fire authorities said that while cooler temperatures and higher humidity were helping the battle against wildfires in Victoria state, it would take weeks to tame the deadly flames that have shattered the lives of thousands. "We currently have eight fires listed as going across the state," said Department of Sustainability and Development spokesman Lee Miezis after four of the fire fronts merged into one overnight.

"These fires are not yet contained, but thankfully there are no immediate threat warnings to any communities at the moment," he told AFP, warning however that the fire danger was far from over.

"We are making good progress in containment efforts in some areas, but there's a long and difficult road ahead in bringing these fires fully under control, particularly those in steep and forested areas around Melbourne.

"We are potentially talking weeks before we have things completely under control and we are only part-way through our fire season," he said as around 4,300 firefighters battled blazes that have scorched 395,000 hectares (975,650 acres).

Two firefighters from the neighbouring state of New South Wales were injured overnight when a tree fell on them as they fought flames near the town of Alexandra, Miezis said.

The pair were transferred to hospital in Australia's second city Melbourne for treatment but their injuries were not life threatening.

Meanwhile a contingent of firefighters sent to help tackle the worst ever wildfire disaster in Australian history arrived in Melbourne on Sunday.

The team join comrades from New Zealand and across Australia who have spent more than two weeks beating back blazes that rampaged out of control through small towns in Victoria on February 7, killing at least 181.

Authorities have warned that the death toll will rise to above 200 as forensic teams sift through the ashes of small communities, some of which were wiped off the map by the blazes.

Mebourne, Sunday, AFP