A top Australian scientist said Thursday that the nation’s bushfires, which have devastated Victoria state, have released millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

By Michelle Nichols CANBERRA (Reuters) - Thunderstorms sweeping across the bushfire-ravaged Australian state of Victoria dampened some of the deadly fires with patchy rain, but lightning sparked a new blaze and threatens to wreak more havoc in the coming days.

By Michelle Nichols CANBERRA (Reuters) - Thunderstorms sweeping across the bushfire-ravaged Australian state of Victoria dampened some of the deadly fires with patchy rain, but lightning sparked a new blaze and threatens to wreak more havoc in the coming days.

Excerpt from report by Rita Carvalho: "Portugal worse than the Amazon" by Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias website on 1 September Portugal's forests are burning at a more devastating pace than the Amazon forest.