Sydney temperatures hit record high

[Mark]

Sydney has recorded its highest temperature ever. Just before 5pm today the mercury hit 45.7degC.
 
The heat hampered efforts to bring fires in New South Wales under control, and there were also massive blazes in Victoria. 

The fires in Victoria's southeast are so intense everything has taken on an orange glow.

There was little wind, but it didn't matter. The fire was so ferocious and the land so dry that flames tore through areas ahead of what the Fire Service has predicted. 

The heat and danger was too intense even for fire crews. The fires threatened several towns including Gippsland, Heyfield, Glenmaggie and Licola.
 
Dozens of homes were destroyed. Some people were evacuated, but others chose to stay to defend their homes from burning embers which rained down.
 
Victoria was one of three states battling fires. Temperatures reached 43degC in the Bundaleer Forest in South Australia yesterday, and fire crews struggled to build containment lines.




And the heatwave returned to New South Wales with temperatures in the mid 40s. It was a nightmare for firefighters who'd gained ground in containing blazes across the state.

They are pulling together massive resources, massive man power, and the latest technology to throw everything they can at the fires.

But the fire at Coonabarabran, in the state's north, is still uncontained, and today it took a turn for the worse – fuelled by high temperatures and fanned by winds.

The south coast had new fires, and NSW deputy fire commissioner Rob Rogers says firefighters need to continue to respond as quickly as they can.
 
“What we've got to do is jump on those fires as soon as possible. So whether we've got to ask for assistance from Victoria or ACT it really doesn't matter.”
 
Temperatures will drop considerably in New South Wales and Victoria tomorrow to the low 20s, bringing some relief to exhausted fire crews.
 
And just as well, as supplies of water and sunscreen at the fire logistics warehouse are beginning to run low.
 
3 News


Read more: http://www.3news.co.nz/Sydney-temperatures-hit-record-high/tabid/417/articleID/283596/Default.aspx#ixzz2IMUCIDAH

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[Suezy]

Thanks for that Mark - terrible times over there once again  unfortunately.  Think we are fortunate to live where we do - quakes and all.

[Rwood]

Australians who live in the hinterland/outback know that they're in a "deal" where nature is always boss. The vast tracts of fairly hostile territory are not actually suited to the lifestyle the inhabitants are leading, and that includes the farmlands in most areas.

If had my working life over again from scratch I would be quite willing to live in Australia, but only in the cities.

[einzack]

I lived in Newman, Western Australia for 2 years where it's 40-45°C for days/weeks on end.
It was very tough work putting up with that, especially as my job involved being outside alot.
Newman averages something like 135 days a year +35°C and 37 +40°C.
From memory the hottest it got to when I lived there was 44.7°C.
But the town is built for those temperatures (even if I'm not), whereas places not used to those temps, such as Sydney, would make it pretty unbearable.

[Rwood]

Not very common in Sydney though. Having A/C would be perfectly adequate for the great majority of situations.