Skies reddened and darkened
Strong winds that have changed direction are hampering efforts by firefighters to contain bushfires in Australia’s south-east.
A southerly change with powerful gusts up to 80mph (128km/h) threatened to spread huge fires raging in New South Wales (NSW), officials said.
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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the fires had created a “very volatile situation” and “we are yet to hit the worst of it”.
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Skies reddened and darkened in areas of south-eastern Australia as wind gusts exacerbated the fires.
Temperatures surpassed 40C (104F) in some areas. In Penrith, west of Sydney, temperatures reached 48.9C. Some reports suggest it was for a time the hottest place on Earth.
Smoky and lethally hot – it sounds unbearable.
The fires can generate their own weather, complete with lightning – which starts new fires.
Yes, it’s terrifying to watch a thunderstorm in a drought; knowing that, if any of those lightning flashes currently leaping from cloud to cloud were suddenly to hit the ground instead, a fire could be started anywhere.
Impressive and awe-inspiring (especially at night, when one could easily imagine that there is a battle taking place in the clouds between gods and/or dragons), but terrifying.
Overwhelming heat (even at night), dry air, dry vegetation, dry everything. I didn’t know how people coped with it when I lived there, and it has only become worse since I left. Australia broke my heart physically when I lived there, and now is breaking it emotionally as I worry for everyone (particularly friends and family) who still live there.