Prince William meets survivors of deadly Australia wildfires on final day of unofficial visit

Prince William meets Australian wildfire survivors

MELBOURNE, Australia — A somber Prince William met Thursday with emotional survivors of last year’s deadly wildfires in southern Australia, doling out comforting words and occasional kisses to those who turned up to greet him.

The 27-year-old prince’s trip to Victoria state, on the last day of his Australia tour, came two weeks shy of the first anniversary of the fiery disaster that has become known as Black Saturday, when hundreds of blazes raced across huge parts of the state, killing 173 people and destroying more than 2,000 homes.

William was clearly moved by the experience, speaking later at a reception in Melbourne about the impact it had on him.

“Today on the outskirts of Melbourne, I was privileged to see the spirit of Australia in its purest, most magnificent form,” he said. “The stories of suffering I have heard today inevitably made me think about the ongoing tragedy of Haiti. Our thoughts and prayers remain with everyone there.”

Earlier, the prince wore a yellow ribbon to honor those affected by the fires and greeted locals at a relief center in the close-knit community of Whittlesea, which has served as a hub for survivors who once lived in the devastated surrounding towns.

There, the second in line to the British throne quizzed Victorian Premier John Brumby about the fires, and looked through a book of photos showing the damage from the blazes.

“It’s terrifying what it can do, isn’t it?” he said.

Debbie Morrow told the prince about losing her home. He asked about her family, who now live in a caravan and shed.

“He was very concerned and wanted to know if we would be rebuilding,” she said.

Another woman burst into tears and thanked William for supporting those affected by the fires.

“Not at all,” he told her. “It is a privilege to be here.”

Hundreds turned out to greet the prince, who stopped to shake hands and pose for pictures outside the center.

“We didn’t lose family or any friends, so we consider ourselves very lucky,” said Bronwyn Hocking, 30, who moved to Whittlesea after her home, near the blackened town of Kinglake, was destroyed in the blazes. “The royal family have been really supportive of Australia and everyone, and we just want to wave and say thank you.”

The prince then traveled to nearby Flowerdale, where he met about 200 residents at a temporary village set up outside the devastated town.

William got to work, putting on an apron and helping to cook a barbecue lunch for locals.

The sight of the charred landscape made an impact on the prince.

“I could not believe it when we drove through,” he said. “The vast scale of it all. It really brings it home.”

The prince has had a packed itinerary on his unofficial three-day tour of Australia. He spent his first two days in Sydney, where he visited a local Aboriginal community, met with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, stopped by a military base and enjoyed a barbecue feast along the city’s glittering harbor.

He is scheduled to return to Britain on Friday.