AUSTRALIAN HEAT WAVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19970, 11 December 1926, Page 13

AUSTRALIAN HEAT WAVE

OUTBREAK OF BUSH FIRES. TOWN ENCIRCLED BY FLAMES. (Fr«is Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, December 10. (Received Dec. 10, at 10.30 p.m.) The city is sweltering in a heat wave. Sfte temperature all day has been well Ofver 100 degrees. Bush fires are raging in all the suburbs. The heat extended to the country, and great fires are sweeping the Riverina and Western districts, causing enormous damage. All the country west of Walla Walla is in flames, which, fanned by a fierce wind, spread with lightning rapidity, destroying grass crops and fencing. Walla Walla is encircled by flames. All the, business places are closed, and everybody ia fighting the fires, which threaten to destroy the town. The inhabitants are panic-stricken. Serious outbreaks are also reported from the Wellington and Forbes districts, where extensive damage is reported. So far there have been no fatalities. SUN BATHER KILLED BY HEAT. BUSH FIRES STILL RAGING. SYDNEY, December 10. (Received Dec. 10, at 11.50 p.m.) The maximum temperature to-day was 103 degrees. A man who was sun-bathing on the beach at Bondi was killed by the heat. Reports from all parts of the State record similar hot conditions. Bush fires are raging in all districts, tod many homesteads are endangered, but volunteers have prevented the fires from spreading. A huge quantity of grass land has been swept and crops and much stock have been destroyed. The fires are •till raging.