AUSTRALIANS mourning the lives lost in horrific wildfires last week sought comfort at churches yesterday even as firefighters continued to battle a dozen blazes still burning in the state.

Survivors from Australian towns razed by the worst wildfires in the country’s history returned to their homes for the first time today to be confronted by utter devastation.

Australia’s deadly wildfires destroyed at least 640 houses and that tally was expected to rise today.

A gunman charged on-stage at a nightclub in the United States and opened fire on the band and crowd, killing top heavy metal guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott and three other people before a police officer shot him dead, authorities said.