Australian residents flee homes
Published:Tuesday | February 24, 2009 | 10:26 AM
More Australian residents have been forced to flee their homes as renewed bushfires destroyed at least one house and injured three firefighters.
Strong winds and searing temperatures are said to be driving flames towards towns to the east and north-west of Victoria\'s state capital, Melbourne.
The new threat came as the death toll from the fires, which ravaged the state two weeks ago increased to 210.
Queen Elizabeth the second’s daughter Princess Anne has toured the disaster zone.
The princess met firefighters and other emergency workers in the town of Wandong, a day after attending ceremonies marking a national day of mourning for the victims.
The official death toll rose by one yesterday after a resident of Strathewen, one of the worst-hit areas where 43 perished, died in hospital.
Two firefighters have been injured with minor burns and another more seriously, and a house and two fire trucks were reportedly destroyed in fires in Victoria yesterday.