Comment Small clarification to the linked Mashable article (Score 3, Informative) 289
Quote from the linked Mashable article:
with temperatures hitting 107 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas
That's 41C, and not entirely accurate. The island-state of Tasmania, the coldest (on average) place in Australia, reached 41C. Some areas on the mainland have reached 49C, which is 120F. My home in central NSW (six hours west of Sydney) was 40-42C for 4-5 days, with high winds for the last couple. Bushfires were burning several kilometers from my home, with over a hundred firefighters fighting to contain them. Emergency vehicle sirens have been common, and I've received SMS messages from the Rural Fire Service warning about how close the fires are.
Thankfully a cool change appeared yesterday, but there are still many fires burning around the country and temperatures are expected to increase again tomorrow.
As an aside, why won't Slashdot let me post the degree symbol (alt-248)?