Sydney  - The enormity of south-east Australia's forest fires was revealed Sunday, with as many as 40 people believed dead, hundreds of houses destroyed and swathes of countryside turned to ash.

The official death toll from Saturday's inferno stands at 35, but police expect a rise above 40 as they pick through the wreckage of homes, sheds and of the vehicles that failed to outrun the fires.

Melbourne's Alfred Hospital is struggling to cope with burns victims.

Sydney, Feb. 8 : The New Zealand cricket team that is in Australia to compete for the Chappell-Hadlee trophy, is optimistic, but not ready to be cocky about handing out a possible 5-0 score line to the Kangaroos.

According to middle-order bat Ross Taylor, the Kiwis are well aware of Australia's capability to bounce back when their backs are pinned to the wall.

Sydney  - Sue Aldred knows the adrenalin rush when the sky is crimson, fireballs leap from tree to tree and it's either your house turned to ash or the narrowest of escapes.

"I did fear for my life at one point," said Aldred, who saved her house when fire rushed through her township of Kinglake on Saturday night. "All of a sudden, we were in a raging inferno, there was coloured smoke and the noise was indescribable."

Sydney  - The enormity of south-east Australia's forest fires was revealed Sunday, with as many as 40 people believed dead, hundreds of houses destroyed and swathes of countryside turned to ash.

The official death toll from Saturday's inferno stands at 25, but police expect the number to rise above 40 as they pick through the wreckage of homes, sheds and vehicles.

More than 400 fires have incinerated 150,000 hectares north of Melbourne, the capital of Victoria state.

Sydney  - The enormity of south-east Australia's forest fires was revealed Sunday, with as many as 40 people believed dead, hundreds of houses destroyed and swathes of countryside turned to ash.

The official death toll from Saturday's inferno stands at 25, but police expect the number to rise above 40 as they pick through the wreckage of homes, sheds and vehicles.

More than 400 fires have incinerated 150,000 hectares north of Melbourne, the capital of Victoria state.

Sydney  - The enormity of south-east Australia's forest fires was revealed Sunday, with as many as 40 people believed dead, hundreds of houses destroyed and swathes of countryside turned to ash.

The official death toll from Saturday's inferno stands at 25, but police expect the number to rise above 40 as daylight allows them to pick through the wreckage of homes, sheds and vehicles.

More than 150,000 hectares has burned in the hinterland north of Melbourne, the capital of Victoria state.