Special squad set up to probe Australia fires
Published:Tuesday | February 10, 2009 | 1:08 PM
A special police investigation squad has been set up in Australia\'s wildfire-ravaged state of Victoria to probe the cause of the fires.
The official death toll from the blaze now stands at 181 with the likelihood of rising.
Victoria State Premier John Brumby said dozens of bodies remain unidentified, with others unrecovered.
He said the final death toll is likely to exceed 200.
According to Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at least 500 people have been injured and nearly 1,000 homes destroyed across 365,000 hectares of torched land.
The police believe arsonists started the fires.
They say they are confident of catching those they suspect are behind some of the fires.
Residents in parts of Victoria state are still on alert as more than a dozen fires continue to burn uncontrolled.