Posted on November 22, 2009 by by scoop

“Australia has issued “catastrophic” alerts after record-breaking temperatures and wild lightning storms sparked more than 100 fires across the country, officials said Saturday.” AFP reports

Unseasonably hot and dry weather combined with strong winds to fan scores of blazes in the country’s southeastern states, many of which were sparked by overnight lightning strikes.

“It has never been this hot, dry or windy in combination in November ever before,” said New South Wales (NSW) state premier Nathan Rees. AFP reports

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