Monday's papers describe the bushfires as the worst natural disaster in Australian history; a veil of smoke from Victoria is spreading across the South Island.
The Bush fires dominate the front page of The New Zealand Herald. The paper says some of the fires are believed to be the work of arsonists, with some being re-lit after being contained by fire crews.
The Dominion Post calls the bush fires 'Hell in all its fury'. It describes the events of the weekend as the worst natural disaster in Australian history. One of the worst hit districts was Kinglake, where survivors fled for their lives as they lost their homes and neighbours.
The Press also describes the bush fires as Australia's greatest disaster. Only in wartime, it says, has the toll of dead and wounded been greater. It says the Melbourne morgue is now full and some of those injured are not expected to survive.
The front page also touches on weather in New Zealand over the weekend, when a heatwave forecast for Canterbury never arrived.
However, the most noticeable feature was an orange-brown veil of smoke from the Victorian bushfires that spread across the South Island.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times devotes most of its front page to the bush fires in Victoria, but the Dunedin stadium also makes headlines.
According to the paper, a final decision should not be expected on the stadium on Monday.
Rather than calling a halt to the project, the ODT says it appears Dunedin City Council will wait a week or more to hear what assistance it might get from central Government.
