Residents flee new bushfire threat

More than 100 people have been forced to evacuate their homes in southern Australia after new bushfires threatened communities, two weeks after the nation's worst fire disaster killed more than 200 people. Authorities have put the death toll from the February 7 fires at 210. They destroyed several small communities and about 1,800 houses, leaving about 7,000 homeless in the state of Victoria. Firefighters in Victoria are battling three major fires. Authorities warned several communities could be at risk due to strong winds, dry conditions and rising temperatures. More than 100 people from Warburton, east of the Victorian capital Melbourne, set up camp at a nearby sports ground to wait for the fire danger to pass, with officials warning people to put their emergency plans into action. Under a "stay or go" bushfire policy, people were urged to either leave their homes early and possibly stay away for several days, or be prepared to stay and defend their homes until the fire danger passes. "If you see flames, it is too late to leave," Victoria's department of sustainability and environment said. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the national and state governments would pick up the cost of demolishing and clearing rubble from about 2,000 houses and businesses destroyed by the fires, which has come to be known as "Black Saturday". Australians observed a day of mourning on Sunday, with thousands attending solemn ceremonies across the country.

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ITN | February 23, 2009

Tags:. .possibly. .black. .warburton. .bushfires. .solemn