Australia Breaks All-Time Heat Record for Second Day Running

Australia endured its hottest-ever day on Wednesday, with sweltering temperatures breaking the all-time record—which was set on Tuesday. Wednesday saw an average maximum of 41.9 Celsius (107.4 degrees Fahrenheit,) which broke Tuesday’s record, which had stood since 2013. A state of emergency has been declared in the state of New South Wales due to fears the heatwave will make the nation’s bushfire crisis even worse. Crews in the state are fighting about 100 fires, the BBC reports. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: “The biggest concern over the next few days is the unpredictability, with extreme wind conditions [and] extremely hot temperatures.” Bushfires have been raging in Australia for months. Six people have been killed, hundreds of homes have been destroyed, and millions of hectares have been burned.