Victoria Bushfires: Human remains found, homes destroyed and thousands left without power as firefighters continue to battle multiple blazes; details inside

A person has been confirmed dead after human remains were discovered in Australia's south-east, where ⁠bushfires raging for days have razed buildings, cut power to thousands of homes and burned swathes of bushland, police said on Sunday.

According to Sky News Australia, firefighters continue to battle ten major and three out-of-control bushfires in Victoria. Reuters reported that the blazes, burning out of control during a summer heatwave, have torn ‌through more ‌than 350,000 hectares (860,000 acres) of bushland in Victoria state since the middle of the week. More than 300 ‌structures have been destroyed, including homes. To make matters worse, thousands have been left without power.

The human remains were reportedly found by a vehicle near the town of Longwood, some 110 km (70 miles) north of the state capital, Melbourne, Victoria police said in a statement. At the time of filing of this report, officials confirmed that the victim was not yet identified. Fire, one of the largest ‍burning on Sunday (January 11, 2025), has already destroyed properties, vineyards and agricultural ‌land.

Victoria bushfires worst to hit since the 2019-2020 Black Summer blazes

Authorities have said the fires are the worst to hit the south-east since the 2019-2020 Black Summer blazes that destroyed an area the size of Turkey and killed 33 people, according to Reuters.

Australian govt offers emergency funding to bushfire-hit residents, says PM Albanese

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the federal government would offer emergency funding to bushfire-hit residents as well as to farmers, who had the "extraordinary cost of undertaking immediate and emergency livestock fodder distribution".

"It's estimated that thousands of heads of cattle are likely to have been impacted," Albanese was quoted by Reuters as saying in televised remarks.

Victoria's premier, Jacinta Allan, said more than 30 fires were burning across the state. In neighbouring New South Wales, which includes Sydney, several fires close to the Victorian border were burning at the highest danger rating, the state's Rural Fire Service said.

Victoria Forest Fire Management shares details

The chief fire officer of Forest Fire Management Victoria, Chris Hardman, said it would likely take firefighters weeks to get the upper hand on ‍the fires. "These fires will not be contained before it gets hot, dry and windy again," Hardman told Australian Broadcasting Corporation television, according to Reuters.

Allan posted on ‍X that ⁠a total fire ban ⁠was in place for Victoria as thousands of firefighters and more than 70 aircraft battled the blazes. "Bushfire smoke is impacting air quality in many areas across Victoria, including metropolitan Melbourne," she said.