a handful of

オーストラリアのタスマニア州で猛暑により複数の山火事が発生し，１００軒以上の住宅や建物が焼失したとのことです。以下は，Japan today（2013/01/06付）の記事より抜粋。
太字のhandfulはa handful ofの用法で「一握りの量，少量の」といった意味を表しますが，今回はa ”handful” of のようにクウォーテーションマークでくくられています。handfulを引くと「《口語》 手に負えない人[仕事，もの].」とあり，ここではこの意味がはまりそうです（『新英和中辞典』初版，研究社）。
今回の山火事では，住宅のほか警察署なども被害にあう大惨事となってしまいました。今後も数々の難事に対する不安や懸念は消えそうにありません。（GP）

SYDNEY —
Several people were missing and feared dead Sunday after wildfires swept through the Australian island state of Tasmania, destroying more than 100 homes and forcing thousands to flee.
Acting Tasmania police commissioner Scott Tilyard said officers were investigating several reports of missing persons after fires ravaged the south of the state.
“I am fearful that someone may have died in this fire… it is a very distinct possibility still and I think people need to brace themselves that that may occur,” Tilyard told reporters, saying there were grave fears in a “handful” of cases.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/world/view/several-people-missing-after-wildfires-ravage-australian-state