A bushfire rages out of control from the Bunyip State Park towards the townships of Labortouche and Tonimbuk.Mex Cooper, Larissa Ham
Eighty-four people are confirmed dead in Victoria's bushfires, far surpassing the state's toll of 47 in the 1983 Ash Wednesday blazes.
The number of dead is likely to rise even further as blazes continue to ravage the state with almost 312,000 hectares affected. At least 700 homes have been destroyed - 550 of those in Kinglake and surrounding areas.
The Kinglake complex fires north-east of Melbourne are now at least 80 kilometres wide and 220,000 hectares in size, after several fires merged. The fire stretches from Broadford all the way to Taggerty.
More than 70,000 hectares have been burnt in Gippsland, and last week's fire in the Delburn area has again raised its head.
The Red Cross has about 20 relief centres operating, with 3700 people now registered as evacuated.
Police have confirmed that people were killed in fires in the following areas:
Kinglake 12, Kinglake West 10, St Andrews 12, Humevale 6, Wandong 4, Bendigo 1, Strathewen 1, Callignee 4, Upper Callignee 1, Hazelwood 3, Jeealang 1, Long Gully 1, Flowerdale 5, Yea 1 (died in hospital), Hazeldene 2, Taggerty 3, Marysville 2, Whittlesea 3, Mudgegonga 2, Steels Creek 7, Arthurs Creek 3, Yarra Glen 1.
Stories from victims recount the horror of the blazes as they ravaged towns surrounding Melbourne and other parts of Victoria.
A Kinglake real estate agent who lost his home last night said the region would regain its strength despite the devastation.
"I can't explain anything other than that it was like a sustained bombing attack, that what it was like with the noise,'' said Moray Sharp.
"Kinglake's ceased to exist for all intents and purposes,'' he said.
"The shops in Kinglake survived, but we would have had 50 per cent housing loss.''
Mr Sharp is gathered with a couple of hundred residents in the centre of town, and they will be transported to the Whittlesea Showgrounds at 5pm.
He said while a few people had understandably gone to pieces, most people were trying to stay strong.
"We will come back as a community I'm sure,'' Mr Sharp said.
Friends and family of victims of the Kinglake fire broke down sobbing outside the Whittlesea community activity centre upon learning of the fate of at least 12 residents who perished in the blaze, including six people who were killed in one car.
Marie Jones from Canberra, who was visiting a friend at Kinglake yesterday, said a badly-burnt man had arrived at the property where she was staying with his infant daughter, and told her his wife and other child had been killed.
Authorities began the grim search for bodies this morning following Saturday's devastating bushfires.
The CFA expects hundreds of homes have been destroyed. Among the properties destroyed were the Marysville and Kinglake police stations.
Both Marysville and Kinglake townships have been nearly wiped out by the fires, with Marysville residents evacuated in a convoy this morning from the area.
CFA spokesman Paul Swan said firefighters still battling nearby blazes.
The Marysville fire is part of the Murrindindi blaze, which has now merged with the Kilmore fires. About 100,000 hectares is now burning in that area.
Police said they did not know if the age of those killed in the fires but expect some children are among the dead.
Police suspect some fires were deliberately lit yesterday despite warnings that it was the worst day in Victoria's history for fire conditions.
A police spokeswoman said investigators would not be able to establish how many of the fires were arson-related until they could survey the scenes and establish the origin of the blazes.
Ten people remain in a critical condition in hospital after being burnt in the state's bushfires.
A spokesman from The Alfred hospital said 10 patients were in a critical condition in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit. A further 10 were in a stable condition.
The hospital had received two new patients from the Austin Hospital on Sunday, the spokesman said.
He said no one at The Alfred had died from the fire.
An emotional John Brumby has warned Victorians not to underestimate the danger of fires continuing to burn throughout Victoria, saying that despite cooler temperatures it will be days before the crisis is over.
The Premier twice had to choke back tears as he described the impact of yesterday's "devastating" fires that have so far claimed at least 25 lives.
"We pray there's no more loss of life over the next few days," Mr Brumby said at a press conference at the CFA station in Kilmore, north of Melbourne.
"The Kilmore fire is now impacting on the Glenburn area, in particular Glenburn and settlements to the North and North East along the Melba Highway and Yea River Valley towards Murrindindi,'' the CFA said.
"There is now active fire around the Glenburn area and residents can expect thick smoke and ember attack. All residents in these areas are advised to activate their fire plans immediately and to remain on high alert.''
"Residents cannot rely on fire-fighting resources being able to get to their property. It is very dangerous to leave late with a
The fire is burning in a south easterly direction and is estimated to be more than 20,000 hectares in size.
"The communities of Bruarong, Glen Creek, Dederang, Running Creek, Myrtleford, Ovens, Barwidgee Creek are no longer under direct threat from this fire, but still need to remain alert due to a high level of fire activity still in the area,'' the CFA said.
"These communities may come under new attack tomorrow as weather conditions worsen.''
Stanley, Mudgeegonga, Rosewhite, Kancoona and Kancoona South remain under threat with CFA strike-teams continuing to work on asset protection.
A recent wind change had begun pushing a fire at Bunyip Ridge, north of Drouin, in a north-easterly direction towards the towns of Labertouche, Tarago, Jindivick West, Jindivick North, Neerim South, Neerim East, Neerim North, Whites Corner, Noogee, Tonimbuk and Robin Hood.
Firefighers have managed to control a fire in Coleraine that burnt nearly 1000 hectares.
with AAP
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