The man accused of starting one of Australia’s deadly wildfires is a lonely web surfer who liked dogs, always said “G’day” to neighbours, and was trying to find love online.

A court today lifted a ban on naming the only person charged with lighting one of Australia’s recent deadly wildfires, and officials urged people not to target the suspect or his family and to let justice take its course.

A man charged with deliberately starting one of the wildfires that killed a total of more than 180 people in Australia had to be taken into protective custody to guard him from angry victims today.

Authorities searching for answers to the carnage from Australia’s worst-ever wildfires said today they would rethink current policies of allowing residents to decide for themselves whether to evacuate their homes.