JULIA Gillard, her voice wavering with choked-up emotion, has said the Victorian bushfire tragedy will remembered as one of the darkest days in Australia's peacetime history.

The Deputy Prime Minister offered Parliament's deepest and most sincere condolences to suffering families and to lost communities but told the nation the worst was yet to come.

"The seventh of February 2009 will now be remembered as one of the darkest days in Australia's peacetime history," she told parliament today.
 
"A tragedy beyond belief, beyond precedent and really beyond words."

Ms Gillard said it would be a day remembered for the lives lost, and a day when families and communities were changed forever.

"It will be remembered as a day when the fires raged across the state, from Horsham in the west, Bendigo and Beechworth in the north and in an arc of destruction from West Gippsland to Kinglake and Kilmore.

"It will be remembered as a day of tragedy, courage and sheer luck."

It was blacker than the human tragedy of Black Friday 1939 and Ash Wednesday 1983, Mr Gillard said, adding the bushfires were a tragedy beyond belief, beyond precedent and beyond words.

"The grizzly reality is that the record number of lives lost will continue to rise."

More bodies will be found and identified by our emergency services, Ms Gillard warned.

"Burns victims will sadly succumb to their severe injuries despite the intensive efforts of our health professionals."

Australians needed to brace themselves for the increase in fatalities and be mindful of the grief and circumstances of those affected.

"To be clear and frank, it will get worse and Australians need to prepare themselves for more bad news." 


AAP