Wildfires Scorch Australia As Temperatures Reach Record Highs

The heat wave across Australia has spiked to unfathomable levels as the ominously-labeled "dome of heat" blankets the continent, sparking wildfires that have caused more than $60 million in damage and claimed more than 120 homes

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image: The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has extended their forecasting chart with new colors in order to display the record temperatures.

Australia Bureau of Meteorology

The heat wave across Australia has spiked to unfathomable levels as the ominously-labeled “dome of heat” blankets the continent, sparking wildfires that have caused more than $60 million in damage and claimed more than 120 homes. The average temperature stretched above 39° Celsius (102° F) for six consecutive days, and local temperatures were so high that the Australian Bureau of Meteorology was inclined to add a new hue to their heat map — a deep purple shade — which indicates a temperature above 50° C (122° F).

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