Police Fear Deaths in Australia Wildfires

Several people were missing and feared dead Sunday after wildfires swept through the Australian island state of Tasmania, destroying more than 100 homes and forcing thousands to flee.

Acting Tasmania police commissioner Scott Tilyard said officers were investigating several reports of missing persons after fires ravaged the south of the state.

"I am fearful that someone may have died in this fire... it is a very distinct possibility still and I think people need to brace themselves that that may occur," Tilyard told reporters, saying there were grave fears in a "handful" of cases.

"Whilst we have had no known deaths associated with these fires at this particular point in time, I want to make it quite clear that it is still far too early to confirm that that is not the case," he added.

Police and troops were going door to door in the worst-hit towns of Dunalley and Boomer Bay to search for the missing and confirm no lives had been lost in conditions officials had described as catastrophic.

"It was a very dangerous situation on Friday, very fast-moving fire," said Tilyard.

"Until we actually complete the process of checking everywhere, we won't be able to confirm that there's been no deaths or serious injuries."

Almost 3,000 people were evacuated from their homes and many were stranded Sunday in emergency shelters as the fires raged to the east and west of the state capital Hobart, cutting off roads.

Residents returning to the wreckage of their homes described the devastation as "armageddon", while others recounted desperate moments as the fire tore through, forcing them to take shelter in the Dunalley canal.

One family was saved by a water-bombing aircraft which arrived overhead as flames surrounded their waterfront caravan. They were armed only with buckets.

"The smoke was tremendous. There were a few spot fires and all of a sudden it was here," Andrew Jenkins told the Hobart Mercury newspaper.

Added relative Paul Jenkins: "It was a bit hairy there for a bit."

The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) downgraded two major blazes from emergency to watch-and-act status, with calmer conditions bringing a much-needed reprieve for fire crews ahead of worsening fire weather expected later in the week.

"At the moment we are still working with a number of fires across the state," TFS chief officer Mike Brown told reporters.

"We are going to be in this situation for a number of days yet."

Brown estimated that there were "hundreds of kilometers of uncontrolled fire" still burning in heavily forested areas that are difficult to access.

"We have got a lot of work ahead," said Brown.

High winds which fanned the worst of the blazes had dropped off, giving crews a valuable opportunity to contain some 20 fires still active before conditions were expected to worsen again on Thursday, said TFS spokesman John Holloway.

"(Crews will be) doing some more active firefighting rather than just property protection," Holloway told ABC Radio.

"We're looking at some warmer weather again through on Thursday, so if we've got this window to work on these fires and get some form of control around them, we're going to take that opportunity when we can."

Hot and dry summer conditions have seen fires start in a number of Australian states this month, with heatwaves in several major cities.

Wildfires are a fact of life in arid Australia, where 173 people perished in the 2009 Black Saturday firestorm, the nation's worst natural disaster of modern times.