Australian police have arrested two people in relation to suspicious activity in the aftermath of the deadly bushfire, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Thursday.

The Police said detectives responded to a report of suspicious behavior between Seymour and Yea, north of Melbourne, Thursday morning, but did not reveal details about the arrests.

The investigations were in their initial stages and the two people were assisting with their inquiries, the police said, adding that no charges had been laid.

Deputy Police Commissioner Simon Overland said the pair were not seen lighting fires and they were assisting police with their inquiries.

"It will take us a little time just to work through and establish just what's been going on," ABC quoted him as saying.

The official death toll stands at 181 Thursday so far but Victorian police said they expect the final figure could be more than 300.

The Police believed arsonists were responsible for the Churchill fire, in Victoria's east, and possibly for the fire which destroyed the township of Marysville, where up to 100 people could have died.

(Xinhua News Agency February 12, 2009)