Heatwave Sweeps Australia and Heightened Risk of Wildfires

A heatwave swept across large areas of Australia today, prompting authorities to warn of an increased risk of wildfires during an already severe fire season exacerbated by the El Niño climate phenomenon. The country's meteorological agency issued warnings regarding the heatwave in New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. They cautioned that temperatures in some parts of the country could reach 40 degrees Celsius. Weather data indicated that the maximum temperature in western Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, is expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius, nearly 10 degrees above the average for February. The hot and dry conditions, coupled with strong winds, have led meteorologists to issue warnings of "severe fire danger" in parts of Victoria and South Australia.