Fires

Hong Kong will set up an independent committee to investigate the cause of the city's deadliest fire in decades, including the oversight of the renovations blamed for the disaster.

The building, which was storing supplies for the community and hundreds of Christmas hampers, was destroyed in the blaze.

A man is killed while trying to establish a firebreak to help tackle a blaze near Ravensthorpe along WA's south coast, with the premier describing his death as "devastating".

Two teenage boys have been charged over a weekend fire that extensively damaged Deniliquin High School in the NSW Riverina.

Hong Kong residents are asking hard questions about safety following last week's deadly high-rise tower blaze.

This report from South-East Asia correspondent Tim Swanston.

Hong Kong's anti-corruption agency has arrested 13 people, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company.

Authorities have downgraded their warning levels for bushfires burning in the greater Geraldton area to an 'advice' level after a challenging day for firefighters. 

Thousands of people pay tribute to the victims of Hong Kong's deadliest fire in more than 75 years, as Beijing warns it will crack down on any "anti-China" protest in the wake of the blaze.

Lives and homes are again under threat from a bushfire burning in Western Australia's Midwest, with a fresh emergency warning issued in Geraldton's outer suburbs.

The inferno-like fire broke out at Kurrajong Street in North St Marys overnight, generating immense heat and a huge eruption that spewed a fireball more than 100 metres up into the sky. 

A fire that forced the evacuation of Melbourne's Qantas domestic terminal on Friday night continues to be investigated.

The arrests come as the probe into what caused the deadly blaze that killed at least 128 people continues.

The Qantas terminal is re-opening after being evacuated because of a small fire inside Melbourne Airport.

Hong Kong's worst fire in decades exposed long-standing weaknesses in its aging residential blocks. The question haunting the city is whether the disaster could happen again.

Just months ago, Hong Kong leaders were dismissing calls for a total ban on bamboo scaffolding on construction sites. Now they are facing one of the region's worst building-fire catastrophes, and anger is growing.

Residents of Hong Kong are expressing their shock and anger following a deadly apartment block fire.

Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades tore through a group of high-rise residential towers in a densely packed housing estate, causing major issues for firefighters. This is how the catastrophe unfolded.

Locals are in shock after fire destroyed apartment blocks home to thousands of people, as questions remain about the suitability of building materials and a lack of fire alarms. 

Correspondent James Oaten reports from Hong Kong where several high-rise apartments smoulder after a deadly fire.

Authorities say the apartment complex blaze may have been caused by a "grossly negligent" construction firm using unsafe materials. Three men have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.