Australia Heat Wave Strains Power Supplies, Sparks Wildfires
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Temperatures soared to more than 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit) in southeastern Australia as a heat wave strained electricity supplies and sparked wildfires.
Extreme heat across the states of Victoria and South Australia is causing high demand for electricity and as many as 100,000 homes and businesses may be affected by power outages and reduced supply, Victorian Energy Minister Nicholas Kotsiras said in a statement. Bushfire warnings were in place across the two states and New South Wales, with high winds forecast to increase the danger tomorrow, emergency authorities said.