Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Lightning strikes from a storm band moving across South Australia sparked a string of bushfires from the state's far north to the southeast on Friday.

Victorian firefighters were called to over 300 fires on a hot, windy day when temperatures topped 42 degrees Celsius in many parts of the state. Thunderstorms developed in the evening, bringing dry lightning which sparked new blazes in East Gippsland. There were several emergency warnings earlier on Saturday for fires at Wandin North and Wonthaggi but they have now been brought under control.

In Tasmania, fire crews respond to four bushfires across the state.