111F High For Inland New South Wales: Hottest March Temperatures In 40 Years, Fires Spreading
Inland New South Wales sweltered through record-breaking March temperatures on Sunday as fires burned across the state. While inner Sydney remained relatively cool the mercury peaked at 28.9C, thanks to a sea breeze the states western districts scorched, with temperatures above 42C in Bourke, Cobar and Brewarrina.
Wagga Wagga recorded its hottest March temperatures yet on Sunday, hitting 39.9C, breaking the previous record of 39.5C set on 7 March 1983. Records in the area go back 80 years. Temperatures hit between 0.5 and 1.5 degrees higher than previous March records in Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo and many other locations on and west of the ranges. Sundays highest temperature in the state was 43.8C recorded at Wilcannia airport in the north-west.
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Firefighters across NSW and Victoria remain on alert as strong winds are still forecast on Sunday afternoon, with at least 30 fires still burning in NSW. A fire at Craigs Road in Curraweela, in the southern tablelands, was being controlled but had burned through 3,689 hectares, destroying property and livestock.
Victorias Country Fire Authority said a bushfire at Lorne, east of Erskine Falls Road, was now at an advice level.
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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/19/nsw-swelters-in-record-heat-as-firefighters-battle-blazes