Lawsuit threat over Australia fire

Lawyers call for action against a Singapore-owned power firm after reports that a downed cable sparked one of the big bush fires in Victoria.

A damaged power line is being blamed for starting a devastating bush fire in the Australian town of Kingsland.

Local lawyers are urging its population to sue the Singaporean-owned power company for the deadly inferno that's wiped out lives and homes.

One politician says she was told of the power line damage by the County Fire Authority.

SOUNDBITE: Fran Bailey, local politician, saying (English):

"What the local CFA told me on that Saturday with those very high winds, one of the lines broke and it was whipping against the ground and sparked."

Resident Carol Pullar says she saw the fire take hold.

SOUNDBITE: Carol Pullar, Kinglake resident, saying (English):

"I saw fire racing up our neighbour's driveway and them trying to put it out."

But Pullar says she won't be joining any class action against the power company.

She's just grateful to the firefighters who not only saved her home but also left five dollars for drinking her orange juice as they fought the flames.

International teams of firefighting experts have begun arriving in Australia to help fight the worst bush fires in national history.

U.S teams who specialise in tall forest fires and a disaster victim identification group from Indonesia jetted in on Sunday.

Their arrival is being welcomed by the Victorian state government which could itself be the target of legal action in the coming months.

Paul Chapman, Reuters