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Australia is in a National State of Emergency as intense wild fires rage dangerously out of control across Victoria, , North Melbourne, New South Wales, Kingslake, Maryslake , and Churchill.

- Australian Bush Fires National Emergency -

A Scorching heat wave with temperatures of 47 + degrees, add deadly fuel to the strengthening Infernos. Over 170 people have now lost their lives in the worst ever bush fires since records began. Flames 4 stories high are taking out everything in their path.

People perished in their cars as the advancing flames and fireballs engulfed them at frightening speed. A family of six lost their lives as they sat, trapped in their car with no time to make their escape.

Householders are torn between wanting to stay and protect their homes or flee the raging flames. There is no choice really as houses ignite quickly and are burnt like tinder as the flames lick furiously over them.

One woman was in a state of shock and totally devastated. She was crying uncontrollably while she explained how she had worked very hard for the last 25 years to be able to be in a position to purchase her home, her face etched with the grief of a woman who had just lost everything.

Thousands of exhausted fire fighters are now being assisted by the army in the battle to contain the raging fires which are gaining momentum and gathering dangerous speed as they surge onwards.

The bush fires have now ripped through Northern Melbourne incinerating almost everything in their path. New South Wales is also now on fire and the flames are gaining a frightening stronghold beyond the confines of Victoria.

These wild fires are being described as the worst bush fires ever witnessed and they are nearing, dangerously close to the Urban Fringe near Melbourne. Whole towns have already been totally eradicated. With flattened landscape where the houses once stood.

Parts of Victoria are resembling a war zone and the harsh black brown smoke and gigantic flames can incredibly be seen as far away as New Zealand; 1,000 miles away. The choking heat and fumes from the smoke is making it hard for the residents of Victoria and neighbouring areas to breathe.

Australia’s death toll has now claimed a record 170 + lives with many more seriously injured with horrific burns. The last bush fire nearing this scale was in Australia in 1983 when 75 lost their lives.

The Australian Prime Minister has been quoted as saying: “Hell’s fury has been unleashed on the state of Victoria”, and of the 2, now charged arsonists, he called their actions, “Mass Murder”.

The Police have said that any arsonists caught, who have started any of these fires, may be charged with murder.

A spokesperson for the firefighters said: “There are far more dangerous days that lie ahead”. The fires are now pushing their way on towards Melbourne at frightening speed.

In a Country that is used to seasonal wild fires, Australia have never before witnessed such major devastation on this scale and now the fires are raging dangerously close to the state capital of Melbourne where many people have taken harbour after losing their homes.

Thousands of homes have been destroyed, many thousands of people are now homeless, traumatised and totally bewildered how the current bush fires could have reached this perilous magnitude.

Austalia’s Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has pledged to help the people affected by these fires with re-homing schemes.

A combination of dry land, high unpredictable hot winds and searing heat is adding fuel to the already massive scale of these raging infernos and it really is an urgent race against time to get these devastating and ferocious fires under control. -