100 people are missing because of forest fires in Australia

Australian police searched cities on Tasmania today to find 100 missing people after wildfires broke out in the south of the island.

Temperatures in the state of Tasmania soared above 41.8 degrees Celsius since January 4. Hot weather, strong winds and previous droughts caused fires to occur continuously in the forests. About 3,000 people were forced to evacuate to avoid fires. Many of them are living in makeshift tents set up by the government.

The houses were burned down after the fire in the town of Dunalley, state
Tasmania shows up in a photo taken from a helicopter on January 6.

Scott Tinyard, Tasmania's temporary police chief, announced that about 100 people were missing after wildfires. He worries that many of them may have died, the BBC reported.

"We do not rule out any possibility until we see the missing people , " he said.

More than 40 fires are still raging. On January 5, firefighters declared a state of emergency for people living in Taranna village, 47km east of Tasmania's capital Hobart. A fire has appeared here since January 2 and has not yet turned off.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard will monitor the town of Dunalley on the east coast of Tasmania on January 7. Fire destroyed more than 65 houses, a police station and a school in this town.

Australian Meteorological Agency warns that many parts of Australia will continue to suffer from hot weather conditions next week.

This is not the first time a large-scale fire broke out in Australia. Nearly four years ago, Victoria's rural wildfires killed 173 people.