Thousands stranded as crews continue to battle fires Fire crews are still battling out of control blazes as fears grow for around 100 people who police say are missing since the bushfires tore across Tasmania since Friday.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard will tour the worst-hit town of Dunalley on Monday, where more than 85 properties were destroyed.

More than 100 properties have been lost across the state since the bushfires broke out in extreme heat on Friday and thousands of residents and tourists are stranded and without power. (video included in article)


Stories of survival emerge from Tas inferno Stories of survival and courage are emerging from the bushfires which have devastated entire communities across parts of Tasmania.

Firefighters are still battling blazes as fears grow for about 100 people unaccounted for in the fires which tore across the state destroying more than 100 homes since Friday.

One image obtained by the ABC shows residents taking shelter on a boat ramp at Murdanna, south-east of Hobart, on Friday evening.

Around 20 people, two dogs and a parrot were forced to hide under the nearby jetty as the fire front swept over. (read on)


Heat brings high fire risk for nation's capital While the ACT faces more hot weather, the fire danger is not expected to reach the levels seen in other parts of the country.

The ACT Rural Fire Service says there will be a high to very high fire danger for the next few days and the main risk is grass fires to the north and west of Canberra.

Chief officer Andrew Stark says if the winds increase the fire danger will be upgraded.

"We've been experiencing a very dry period with this increased heat since before Christmas and so we're monitoring conditions very carefully," he said.

Mr Stark says the fire danger will increase in coming days and early next week.

"What we're seeing is that very hot weather in South Australia and Victoria," he said.

"We're monitoring that very closely and if that heat was to move up into our area then obviously that will raise the fire danger." (read on)


South Australian fires brought under control A fire at Finniss, south of Adelaide, has been brought under control overnight.

It took Country Fire Service (CFS) crews, farm firefighting units and water-bombing aircraft more than 13 hours to control the blaze that started around 1pm yesterday.

About 60 firefighters are still at the scene putting out burning embers and hotspots.

Another blaze near Sevenhill in the Clare Valley has also been controlled.

CFS firefighters will continue to monitor the two fires ahead of further hot weather expected in the coming week.


Vic firefighters winning Kentbruck battle
A woman has been charged with deliberately starting a bushfire in Melbourne s southeast.

AAP © Enlarge photo

Firefighters are at last getting on top of a major blaze burning in Victoria's southwest as more hot weather arrives this week.

While temperatures remained high in the north of the state on Sunday, cooler temperatures in the south have helped authorities contain blazes.

Firefighters battling the huge blaze at Kentbruck, in the state's southwest, are getting it under control as it continues to issue massive plumes of smoke.

The fire, which began in a pine plantation, has burned over 2700 hectares and smoke haze is visible throughout western Victoria. (read on)