I used to live in Arizona and we had wildfires every year usually 2-5 of them. But ummm 200+ people died? I cant count how many times we were threatened with evacuation and how many towns have been completely wiped out and we never lost anywhere near that amount. (never more than 5 or so) Are wildfires not normal in Australia or is the preparation just not so great?
Wild Fires are normal, tho someone lit some of these.. which is terrible and with the wind behind the fire it sweeps threw towns and houses at more than 50km/h.
When you are warned about fires you have a choice.. leave or protect your house.. most people leave but some people stay. Sometimes when leaving roads are blocked by fallen trees or the smoke is so thick they no one can see anything. So then people crash and get trapped in cars and die. Usually the preparation is good.