‘Changed forever’: disaster zones face long recovery
With hundreds of structures destroyed and livestock lost in fires and floods, large parts of rural Australia will never be the same amid ongoing disasters.
fire
Bushfire losses mount as premier defends fleeing mob
Volunteer firefighters are "blaming themselves" for being unable to lessen the devastation wrought by an ongoing bushfire crisis, a fire chief says.
Bushfires spark inquiry call as funding debate rages
Underfunding has been blamed for the scale of losses from ferocious bushfires but state authorities insist conditions made containment impossible.
Emergency crews battle fire and flood across one state
Little relief is expected from rain at key firegounds in one state, where communities are also assessing the damage after a record deluge burst river banks.
Community supports imam after house damaged by fire
A distressed imam and his family will rebuild their lives after their family home was damaged in a fire deemed by police to be non-suspicious.
Chile declares state of catastrophe after deadly fires
Sixteen people have died and tens of thousands have fled as wildfires devastate southern Chile.
‘Monster’: structures lost in uncontrolled bushfire
At least three structures have been lost and hundreds of hectares burnt as more than 100 firefighters fight a blaze in rugged bushland south of Adelaide.
No safety checks at site of Swiss bar fire since 2019
Fire safety inspections hadn't been carried out for several years at the Swiss bar where a fire that broke out at a New Year's party left 40 people dead.
Bushfire peril as heatwave advances across the nation
Bushfires have ignited on the first day of some of the worst heatwave conditions since Black Summer and authorities warn more is to come.
Bushfire menace mounts as thousands brace for disaster
Residents are being urged to flee their homes ahead of a catastrophic fire day expected to bring "unsurvivable" conditions not seen in six years.
Damaging winds warning as cold front brings heat relief
A gusty southerly change is bringing the first relief to heatwave-affected areas, but communities are warned about the threat of damaging winds and lightning.
Three people missing, homes razed as more fires ignite
Catastrophic bushfire conditions are worsening with fears damaging winds and lightning strikes will add to the dozens of destructive blazes raging in one state.
Hellish bushfire crisis claims homes and livelihoods
Dozens of properties have been destroyed at multiple fire scenes as fire-fighters described confronting scenes of danger and destruction.
Extreme heat but no fire emergency yet beyond Victoria
As bushfires rage in Victoria, other parts of Australia's southeast are sweltering amid extreme heat ahead of an expected cooler change.
Swiss prosecutors order bar owner’s detention over fire
Swiss prosecutors have requested pre-trial detention for an owner of a ski resort bar where 40 people died in a fire, citing a risk that he could flee.
Tragedy as body found with fires burning out of control
A person has died as bushfires tear through a state, with authorities warning it is expected to take weeks to get them under control.
Premier hoses down fire funds row, as victim identified
Questions about a state's emergency services preparedness have been slapped down by a premier, as the identity of the first victim of ongoing fires is revealed.
Swiss court keeps bar owner in custody over deadly fire
A court in Switzerland has ordered the co-owner of a bar that caught fire on New Year's Day, killing 40 people, remain in custody.
Nursing home exodus ‘last resort’ as fire cause probed
A truck trailer sparking along a major road is being probed as the possible cause of a devastating bushfire as cash is set aside to facilitate the clean up.
Police identify all 116 people hurt in Swiss bar fire
All of the people killed or injured in New Year fire at a crowded bar in Switzerland have been identified, local police say.
Swiss face painful task of identifying bar fire victims
The revellers who were engulfed in a horrific inferno at a Swiss ski resort are so badly burned it could take days before all the dozens of victims are named.
Dozens hurt in Swiss resort fire ‘fighting for lives’
Officials say a deadly fire which tore through the basement of a Swiss ski resort bar may have started when sparklers were held aloft too close to the ceiling.
Stunned Swiss resort seeks solace after deadly bar fire
Residents are embracing mutual solidarity to cope with devastating loss after at least 40 people died in a fire at an Alpine resort in Switzerland.
Pressure builds for answers over Swiss bar fire tragedy
A national day of mourning will remember the 40 people killed in a New Year's Eve bar fire as Swiss authorities confirm all are now identified.
Teen’s firecracker stunt sparks bushfire emergency
A bushfire sparked by a firecracker tossed into bushland has threatened lives and homes and landed a teenager in police custody.
‘About 40’ killed in Swiss ski resort bar fire
Dozens of people are feared dead and many others injured after a fire during New Year's celebrations in a bar at a Swiss alpine resort.
Dozens killed, 100 hurt in fire at Swiss ski resort bar
About 40 people are feared dead and 115 have been hurt, most of them seriously, after a fire during New Year's celebrations in a bar at a Swiss alpine resort.
Aussies see fire and rain as extremes lash the nation
Fires are burning on one side of the country while the threat of floods on the other has led to calls for people to remain vigilant.
Snow and a heatwave as four seasons greet Christmas Day
Two capital cities can expect ideal weather for Christmas Day, while the rest must contend with conditions ranging from snow to a dangerous heatwave.
‘Very sticky’: summer heatwave to give way to storms
Inland Australians are tipped to swelter through another day of 40C heat as tropical humidity in the nation's north draws storms south.
Big wet to follow swelter, says weatherman
The heatwave impacting Australia's southeast is set to continue across the weekend, but thunderstorms are also on the way.