At least 44 houses have been destroyed in a forest fire on the outskirts of Australia's west-coast city of Perth, dpa quoted officials as saying Monday. The blaze at Parkerville, 35 kilometres west of Perth, is burning within containment lines after over 100 firefighters stopped a wall of flame that in places reached 20 metres. Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Russell Jones told national broadcaster ABC that more burned-out houses might be found as brigades moved through the hill country behind Perth. The fires took hold in strong winds that followed two consecutive days of temperatures above 40 degrees. Hundreds of people staying in evacuation centres have yet to learn whether they still have a home go to back to.
