Christmas day bushfires incinerate 100 homes in Australia

More than 100 homes in a leading Australia tourist area have been reduced to ashes as Christmas Day bushfires blazed out of control, with officials predicting more blazes to come as summer scorches the southern country.

Some 150 firefighters fought to control the flames which are raging in areas along parts of Victoria state's Great Ocean Road. Teams have already begun to assess the damage from the fires which had started on Christmas evening.

A spokeswoman for the state's emergency services said a total of 103 homes have been damaged in two townships, approximately 120km southwest of Melbourne.

The fires started with a lightning strike on December 19th and have already burned more than 2,000 hectares.Emergency officials are warning that dry conditions will incubate the fires, which will possibly reignite in a few weeks' time.

The Great Ocean Road, one of Australia's biggest tourist attractions, remained for the large part closed to traffic on Saturday, at what is normally one of its busiest seasons.

State Premier Daniel Andrews surveyed the area from the air and commended emergency services, noting that there had so far been no loss of life.

Although overnight rain showers had been helpful to the firefighters, officials said the fires were "far from out.