A former Nottingham Evening Post reporter filed first-hand reports for his old paper from the Australian bushfires which raged through the state of Victoria this week.

The fires, some of which are believed to have been started deliberately, have so far killed at least 170 people with the death toll expected to reach 200.

Former Post reporter James Smith, who now works as a freelance journalist in Melbourne, was able to see first-hand the devastation caused by the fires.

Here's his account of the past few days as first published in the Evening Post.

The conditions couldn't have been worse. A particularly wet end to 2008 had turned Victoria a lush green and was followed by the second driest January in the state's history.

If the new growth wasn't parched enough, the record heatwave during the Australian Open – three days of temperatures exceeding 43C in the city – turned the countryside golden and sparked a number of bushfires.

Then last Saturday morning's papers warned of "the worst day in Victoria's history". Hyperbole, we thought.

The mercury hit 46.4C in Melbourne – the hottest temperature ever recorded in the city. At one point the clear blue sky turned grey from dust.

It was only on Sunday that the full horror became apparent as rolling news struggled to keep up with the violent fires that had swept across swathes of Victoria, causing trees to explode, homes to burn and people to flee in panic through impenetrable black clouds only to meet their death as the flames overtake them.

I have since toured some of the affected areas for the Guardian and the scenes are both shocking and surreal.

Giant plumes of smoke are still rising across the countryside, while hundreds of survivors are experiencing what it's like to be a refugee.

Entire hillsides have been turned to dust, trees still smoulder. The charred remains of telegraph poles hang from wires.

People seem calm, but it may be born of shock, that and not knowing the fate of friends and relatives.

They also know that with many fires still burning out of control, a change in the direction of the wind – or hotter temperatures predicted for the end of the week – could start their ordeal again.

They are, however, pulling together remarkably. Huge donations of cash, food, clothing and accommodation have been made and people talk of meeting their neighbours for the first time, sad that it has taken this disaster to bring them together, but relieved to have someone to share in their grief and shock.

My parents are coming to visit Australia for the first time in six weeks.

In the past 48 hours I have had to cross one planned destination off the itinerary after Marysville was wiped from the map.

As the fires continue to burn, I wonder how many more will be struck off.