Melbourne, Feb. 13 : Police in the Australian state of Victoria have arrested a man on suspicion that he may have been instrumental in starting a blaze in Gippsland that killed at least 21 people.

The police are questioning the 39-year-old man. No charges have yet been laid, the Herald Sun reported.

The man could reportedly face a charge of arson causing death, but police would not comment on that. No other details were immediately available.

Meanwhile, residents of two towns in the Victoria fires zone are coming under ember attack from surrounding fires.

Melbourne, February 12 : Aussie model Miranda Kerr has been so devastated by the Victoria bushfires that she has promised to arrange financial help for those affected.

"I am going to try to raise as much money as I can for these people," the Daily Telegraph quoted her as saying.

Her comment came when she came off the catwalk for David Jones' autumn/winter season launch in Sydney.

The newspaper report suggested that the usually lavish fashion event was a shadow of former years, reflecting the tougher retail climate.

Melbourne, Feb. 12 : Former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne on Wednesday spent some time with children who had survived the bush fires that have ravaged most parts of Victoria.

According to Fox Sports, Warne, dressed in faded jeans with torn hems, had the kids gather around him at the local skate-ramp to sign their bats, balls and T-shirts autographed.

Brisbane, eb. 12 : Australian cricket skipper Ricky Ponting believes it will be difficult for his players to continue playing all three forms of the game - Tests, ODIs and Twenty20s - as increased workload could lead to greater frequency of injury and lack of rest.

The cloud hanging over injured vice-captain Michael Clarke places the vexed issue of resting and managing player workload back in the spotlight, especially with crucial tours of South Africa and England on the horizon.

Clarke is among an ever-thinning number of Australians who consistently play Test, one-day and Twenty20 cricket - which also currently includes Ponting, Haddin, Mike Hussey and Mitchell Johnson.

Sydney - A volunteer firefighter acclaimed a hero after

Sydney, Feb. 12 : James Hopes might not have given any stupendous performance in recent Chappel-Hadlee One-day series against New Zealand, but his simple and straight forward approach to the game, has captain Ricky Ponting showering all praise on the all-rounder.

Ponting praised Hopes particularly for his match winning performance against New Zealand in the Chappell-Hadlee series-levelling win on Tuesday in Adelaide.

Hopes took two wickets for 37 runs from his ten overs.