Australia hit by 'catastrophic weather' so hot the roads are melting

 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/australia-heatwave-weather-hot-road-melting-highway-emergency-services-warning-latest-a8145366.html

 

Emergency services in southeast Australia are warning people to stay indoors as a dangerous heatwave batters the country, with temperatures so high that the asphalt on some roads has been melting.
The "catastrophic" hot weather caused a 10km stretch of the Hume Highway, near the Victoria state capital Melbourne, to become soft and sticky, causing havoc for motorists trying to enter the city.

Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania have now declared a total fire ban after blazes on the outskirts of Melbourne raged out of control, destroying buildings and threatening lives.

It took a team of 300 firefighters, 50 trucks and three helicopters to tackle one fire in Victoria's Carrum Downs on Saturday, which threatened dozens of homes.

And another 49 bushfires are said to have been reported across the state - although many were small and easily extinguished - with 400 residencies losing power.
The state's emergency management commissioner, Craig Lapsley, said hot temperatures had combined with dry weather, strong winds and a wind change to create dangerous conditions.

"It's exactly what the forecast indicated and when we have fires running that's obviously a problem for us," he said.