At least one person has died as out-of-control bushfires continued to burn in southeast Australia, destroying hundreds of buildings, forcing evacuations and scorching vast stretches of land.
Authorities warned that the crisis was far from over.
Police confirmed on Sunday that human remains had been discovered near Longwood town, some 110km north of Melbourne, as firefighters battled dozens of active blazes across Victoria. The victim was yet to be identified.
The fires have destroyed over 300 buildings, including homes, community facilities and agricultural infrastructure, and burned nearly 350,000 hectares of land across Victoria since the middle of last week.
Victoria premier Jacinta Allan said more than 30 fires were burning across the state, with 10 considered of particular concern, as extreme heat, dry conditions and strong winds continued to fuel fire behaviour.
“We will see fires continue for some time across the state and that is why we are not through the worst of this by a long way,” she told local media.
Emergency services warned that conditions in some parts of Victoria had reached catastrophic fire danger levels, the highest rating, meaning fires burning or newly ignited could not be safely defended.
Emergency management commissioner Tim Wiebusch said earlier that damaging winds and unusually hotter temperatures meant the fires were “undefendable” in several areas, forcing residents to leave rather than attempt to protect their homes.
Two adults and a child were earlier reported missing in the Longwood area after being advised to shelter in place when it was too late to evacuate. Police later confirmed the discovery of human remains nearby, but said identification was still under way.
The Longwood fire, one of the largest burning over the weekend, has destroyed homes, a community centre and a telephone exchange, while nearby fires have torn through vineyards, pine plantations and agricultural land. Another major blaze near Walwa, close to the New South Wales border, has burned through around 20,000 hectares, though authorities said it has not yet caused property losses.
Dozens of communities across Victoria have been evacuated, while state parks and campgrounds have been closed. Thousands of homes and businesses have been left without power.
Fire authorities warned it could take weeks to bring the situation under control. Chris Hardman, chief fire officer for Forest Fire Management Victoria, told the ABC: “These fires will not be contained before it gets hot, dry and windy again.”
Smoke from the fires has spread across large areas of the state, prompting air quality warnings, including for metropolitan Melbourne.
Health authorities have urged people to limit outdoor activity.
In New South Wales, several fires were burning at the highest danger rating near the Victorian border, the Rural Fire Service said, as extreme conditions extended across southeastern Australia.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said his government would provide emergency financial assistance to the affected people, including support for urgent livestock fodder distribution.
“It’s estimated that thousands of head of cattle are likely to have been impacted,” he said in televised remarks.
Authorities say the fires are the worst to hit southeast Australia since the 2019-20 Black Summer, which killed 33 people and burned an area roughly the size of Turkey.
The fires have been driven by an intense heatwave in southeast Australia, with temperatures climbing into the mid-40s in parts of Victoria.
Fire authorities warned that the extreme heat had rapidly dried vegetation, leaving large areas primed to burn once fires ignited.
US futures slip while Asian shares gain as Fed chair Powell faces legal threat
How to watch the 2026 Australian Open on TV, the schedule, seedings and more
Kemi Badenoch says Tories would ban under-16s from social media
Human remains found as bushfires continue to ravage Australia
Three missing as ‘catastrophic’ bushfires sweep through southern Australia
