The death toll from wildfires which have swept through southeastern Australia has climbed to 35, Australian Associated Press reported Sunday.
The bushfire started in East Kilmore, 80 kilometers north of Melbourne, and covered a huge area as it pushed 30 kilometers east to Kinglake through the small townships of Wandong, Strathewen and Clonbinane.
Deputy police commissioner Kieran Walshe said Saturday that he believed arsonists were responsible for some of the nine major fires ripping across the Victoria state, Xinhua reported.
"We suspect a number of the fires have been deliberately lit," he said.