or got burnt until chao tar??? Australia is a tough country to live in. We have had no rain for eight weeks and that is why so much is burning. Alison Blakeley, Melbourne The death toll from bush fires in southern Australia has reached at least 96, the worst in the country's history. Thousands of firefighters, aided by the army, are battling several major fires, and the number of dead is expected to rise as fires are put out.