A state of emergency has been declared in New South Wales, Australia, amid fears a record-breaking heatwave will exacerbate the state’s bushfire crisis, the BBC reports.
The nation endured its hottest-ever day on Tuesday, but that record was smashed again on Wednesday – which saw an average maximum of 41.9C.
Tuesday’s 40.9C had eclipsed the previous record of 40.3C, set in 2013.
Authorities in New South Wales (NSW) are currently fighting about 100 fires, in a crisis that has lasted months.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a seven-day state of emergency due to forecasts of worsening conditions.
“The biggest concern over the next few days is the unpredictability, with extreme wind conditions [and] extremely hot temperatures,” she told reporters on Thursday.
