Devastating Bushfires Claim Life and Destroy Homes in Australia

Sun Jan 11 2026 19:28:33 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Bushfires across southeastern Australia have resulted in one fatality and the destruction of over 300 buildings, primarily in Victoria and New South Wales, as state emergency services battle the raging blazes amid challenging conditions.

A recent outbreak of bushfires in southeastern Australia has led to one death and significant destruction, with approximately 300 homes and buildings lost. The fires have prompted a state of emergency in Victoria, where more than 30 active fires continue to threaten communities. Emergency responders are working tirelessly as challenging weather conditions fuel fears that the blazes may persist for weeks. The devastation recalls the catastrophic bushfires of 2019-2020, which had significant loss of life and property.

One person has died and 300 homes and buildings have been destroyed in bushfires that have torn across south-east Australia.

The fires have raged in dozens of locations across the country for several days, mostly in the state of Victoria, but also in New South Wales, burning through land almost twice the size of Greater London.

A state of emergency has been declared in Victoria as thousands of firefighters and more than 70 aircraft battled the blaze. Residents in more than a dozen communities have been advised to leave their homes.

The authorities fear the blazes, which are being fuelled by very hot, dry and windy conditions, could burn for several weeks.

Victoria's Premier, Jacinta Allan, said 30 active fires were burning across the state, ten of which were a particular concern. She added that 350,000 hectares had been burnt across the state as of Sunday morning.

Human remains were found in the village of Gobur, near Longwood, some 110km north of Melbourne. The victim has not yet been identified as the community comes to grips with the loss.

In Harcourt, one firefighter, Tyrone Rice, described losing his home while battling the fires as like a kick in the guts during an emotionally charged account of the devastation. The local fire captain, Andrew Wilson, referred to the scene as gut-wrenching as he reported destruction across many of the affected areas.

The recent fires are labeled the worst to impact southeastern Australia since the infamous 2019-2020 fires, which had led to extensive damage and numerous fatalities.