Australia Grieves for Sam the Koala

Fires bared worst of nature, best of humanity, says prime minister

(NEWSER) - As bells tolled, mourners throughout Australia prayed at services today for the 209 people killed in wildfires and those still missing, CNN reports. “House is gone, friends are gone. This is total destruction,” said one resident. Rescue teams continue to search through the devastation as firefighters still battled blazes in some areas and prepared for more possible flames in a coming heat wave. More»

She holds hands with her rescuer in moving video

(NEWSER) - The survival of two burned koalas is giving Aussies a lift amid the catastrophic wildfires that have killed 180 people and possibly millions of animals, MSNBC reports. The more famous of the two is Sam, who became a YouTube sensation when she took water and offered a singed paw to a firefighter. But Sam has found a fellow koala buddy, Bob, at an animal shelter. More»

(NEWSER) - When firefighter David Tree noticed the koala, it was moving gingerly over the blackened landscape, its scorched paws clearly causing pain. "I could see she had sore feet and was in trouble, so I pulled over the fire truck," Tree told the Herald Sun. “It was amazing,” said the firefighter. “He turned around, sat on his bum and sort of looked at me like, 'Put me out of my misery.'" Tree got a bottle of water, and as he tipped it to the koala's lips, the koala “just took it naturally…almost like a baby.” More»

Task Force begins investigation

(NEWSER) - More than 300 people may have died in the devastating bushfires that have torched 850 square miles of southeast Australia, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. While the official death toll stands at 173, an official warned that number would rise “steeply” as rescuers discover more bodies. Several people are missing. Some 24 fires are still burning throughout the state of Victoria, fueled by brisk winds and dry weather. More»

Small town declared crime scene as devastation continues

(NEWSER) - The death toll from angry bushfires in Australia jumped to 171 today, reports Reuters, as the country's prime minister, fighting back tears, accused suspected arsonists of "mass murder." Up to 5,000 people have been left homeless; at one relief center, boards covered with Post-It notes beg for news of loved ones, reports the Times of London. "This is a level of horror that few of us anticipated," said PM Kevin Rudd. More»