SYDNEY, Australia: Fanned by the hottest temperatures on record, a series of wildfires tore through southern Australia over the weekend, killing at least 131 people in the deadliest natural disaster on record, police said Monday.

Forensic investigators descended on the fire zone Monday to begin identifying bodies found in the rubble. Police warned the death toll could rise.

Melbourne: In what is described as Australia

HEALESVILLE, AUSTRALIA

Towering flames razed entire towns in southeastern Australia and burned fleeing residents in their cars as the death toll rose to 84 on Sunday, making it the country

By Lasantha Nirosdhan Perera

Date: 23-Jan-09
Country: US
Author: Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON - Trees in the western United States and Canada are dying twice as quickly as they did just 30 years ago, with rising average temperatures almost certainly to blame, researchers reported on Thursday.

22 January, 2009 - About 200 foresters, civil servants and villagers of Udzorong and Liza, Khaling gewog mopped the last remains of the first fire in Trashigang dzongkhag, on January 20.