Australian bushfires leave 1 dead, 193 homes destroyed

More than 80 bushfires are still burning across the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) on Saturday, leaving one dead and 193 homes destroyed. The fires have reportedly claimed one life as of Friday. The victim, 63, was defending his home against the fires and died of a suspected heart attack on Friday. The severe bushfires occurred on Thursday afternoon and have burnt over 30,000 hectares so far, according to the Rural Fire Service (RFS). Thousands of firefighters are still battling against six major bushfires in the state as they confirm 193 homes have been destroyed and another 109 homes damaged. Rob Rogers, RFS deputy commissioner, said high temperatures and strong winds are set to return this weekend, making it harder for firefighters to put off the fires. NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell told a news conference on Thursday evening that "if we get through that without the loss of life, we should thank God for miracles." The premier also warned that it would take days to extinguish all the fires. Insurance companies have already received about 550 claims totaling 30 million AU dollars since the bushfires broke out, the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) said on Friday. ICA predicted that the number would rise sharply in the coming days.