There was a case just before the fires. A farmer was taken to court for clearing the land around his House off trees. He was fined $20,000 from memory. It was a greenie policy. The Vic government loves green votes, not hard to see how they became law.
Ironically his neighbors all lost their homes, and a few their lives.
Bush fires are naturally occurring in Australia. Yeah plants can regenerate, but endangered animals cannot, neither can human life. Aborigines destroying Australia with fire? I doubt it. Burning off in winter just does not get out of control
Clearing your land of fuel (bark, dead trees, long grass etc) saves lives. And this bushfire would not have been as tragic if people were allowed to clear their property.