It always astounds me that people are so thoughtless as to cause tragedies like this. I know that there is talk of people setting the fires deliberately but I could almost guarantee that some are the result of a flicked cigarette end or spark from a BBQ.
I saw on the news this morning that the Australian Prime Minister is saying that this is mass murder...I can't disagree.
Is there such a thing as murder through negligence?
Most of these fires are caused by people deliberately lighting them or by lightning. In fact large fires will create their own weather system and more lightning, hence more fire.
Saturday was a day of "Total fire ban", that means that the lighting of any fire outdoors is illegal. That includes BBQs. Anyone using one on that day in Victoria would be be breaking the law. Cigarettes butts are a problem and will sometimes start fires when thrown from cars, but I believe that most of these fires were deliberately lit.
After the big fires get going, like these, the winder can blow embers for kms ahead of the main firefront starting more spot fires, that soon develop into large extensions of the main fire itself.