Devastating Bushfires in Australia Leave One Dead and Widespread Destruction

Sat Feb 21 2026 02:59:03 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Bushfires rage across southeastern Australia, destroying over 300 buildings and claiming a life as firefighters battle the flames amid dire conditions.

A devastating bushfire in southeastern Australia has resulted in one death and the destruction of over 300 buildings. The fires, most severe in Victoria, have prompted a state of emergency as firefighters struggle to contain the flames, exacerbated by hot, dry, and windy weather. Thousands of residents have been advised to evacuate, with fears that the fires could continue for weeks.

One person has died and 300 properties 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 battle the blaze. Residents in more than a dozen communities have been advised to leave their homes.

Authorities fear the fires, 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, 10 of which were of particular concern. She stated that 350,000 hectares had been burnt as of 08:00 local time on Sunday (23:00 GMT on Saturday), noting, 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.

Human remains were found in the village of Gobur, near Longwood, about 110km (70 sq miles) north of Melbourne, with the victim still unidentified. Allan praised the hard work of emergency responders, highlighting the emotional toll of such experiences.

Bushfire smoke is impacting air quality across the region, including metropolitan Melbourne.

Authorities indicated that these are the worst fires to hit southeastern Australia since the 2019-2020 blazes, which resulted in significant destruction and loss of life.

Among the worst-hit areas is the small town of Harcourt, where firefighter Tyrone Rice lost his home to the flames while he was out fighting another fire, calling it like a kick in the guts. Local reports describe the damage as catastrophic, with many homes reduced to mere remnants.

While not all individual fires can be directly linked to climate change, scientists suggest that the rising global temperatures are making such destructive fire conditions more common.