Brendan Sokaluk Sentenced for 2009 Australian Fire An Australian man, Brendan Sokaluk, has been sentenced to 17 years and 9 months in prison for starting one of the fires that ravaged southern Australia in February 2009. The fire he set killed 10 people and was part of the worst wildfire disaster in Australian history. Hundreds of fires during that period killed 173 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes. The judge said he doubted that Mr. Sokaluk, who is autistic, meant to kill anyone, but that he must have been aware of the danger.