Sydney sweats in spring hot spell, faces 'extreme' bushfire risk
SYDNEY: Australia’s most populous city Sydney baked in a burst of sweltering spring heat on Saturday, raising the risk of bushfires and prompting authorities to issue a ban on lighting fires. The heat comes as a powerful El Nino weather pattern in the Pacific, expected to be among the strongest in decades, drives hotter and drier conditions across southern Australia during the September-November…
In Sydney, Australia, residents braced for a wave of scorching spring weather on Saturday, as temperatures soared to 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit), nearly 13 degrees above average. The extreme heat, driven by a powerful El Niño weather pattern expected to be one of the strongest in decades, raised concerns about heightened bushfire risks.
Authorities responded by imposing a total fire ban, rating fire danger as "extreme," the second highest level of warning. Metropolitan Sydney, home to 5.6 million people, faced a tough day with temperatures already hitting 28.6C (83.48F) at 11:30 a.m. local time at Sydney Airport, a full seven degrees above September's normal maximum temperature.
As climate change exacerbates extreme heat and fire conditions in Australia, the bushfire-prone nation of around 27 million people must prepare for more frequent and severe wildfires. Recent bushfires in January caused significant damage, burning vast areas of bushland and cutting power to thousands of homes.
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