Firefighters are praising a west Auckland woman who rushed into her neighbour's burning house and woke the sleeping occupants.

A sprinkler system has saved a Christchurch bedding factory from severe damage after a chemical explosion overnight.

The loss of Ashburton's historic Canterbury Flour Mill to fire this morning was a major blow to the regions's heritage, says the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (NZHPT).

Firefighters are battling a huge blaze at the historic Canterbury Flour Mill building in Ashburton.

A prisoner set fire to her cell bedding at Christchurch Women's Prison last night, causing extensive damage and injuring two prison guards who came to help her.

In a rare moment of unity, Australia's political leaders joined to mourn the victims of a catastrophic summer.

Bushfire victim Paul Bosveld saw the remains of his home and said he was 'going to travel through life a bit lighter from now on'.

Firefighters worked throughout the night to control a fierce bushfire, which razed 68 homes near Perth.

Bushfires that destroyed at least 59 Perth homes and forced hundreds of people to flee for their lives continued to burn last night.

A bushfire that tore across the outskirts of Perth over the weekend has destroyed at least 41 homes and damaged another 19, authorities said today.

Daylight in Western Australia has allowed helicopters back into the fight against bushfires still burning out of control in the Perth hills, where up to 40 properties have been destroyed.

More than 40 houses are expected to have been destroyed as a bushfire remained out of control in Western Australia.