Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 25 (Xinhua) -- Many parts of the southern hemisphere country Australia were hit by a heat wave on the 24th, and the maximum local temperature is expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius. Fire departments have warned of an increased risk of wildfires in the western part of the country.
People cool off at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on December 9. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Hu Jingchen).
The Australian Meteorological Department issued a high temperature warning for Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland on the 24th, and the local maximum temperature is expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius. Perth, the capital of Western Australia, the country's largest state, is expected to have a maximum temperature of 35 degrees Celsius that day, more than 5 degrees Celsius above the average temperature in December.
Western Australia's emergency department** showed that more than 20 wildfires were burning in the area on the 24th. Among them, a wildfire in the small town of Pemberton has not yet been brought under control. It has about 5,000 residents and is about 320 kilometres from Perth.
A spokesperson for the Western Australian Fire and Emergency Services said in a statement that many areas are at considerable risk of fire, given that much of the state is facing hot, dry and windy weather conditions that are not conducive to fire control. Over the past five days, more than 1,000 firefighters have been involved in fighting fires in the state.
Australia suffered heavy losses during the 2019-2020 wildfire season, with 12 percent burned across the territoryMore than 3,000 homes were burned in 50,000 square kilometers and at least 33 people died. (Zhang Jing).