bushfires

Australian towns battle fire and flood back-to-back

Bushfires have been burning in Victoria's Gippsland region and New South Wales' South Coast this week - both areas were hit hard by Australia's Black Summer bushfires four years ago.

Rain is now offering some reprieve, but it has also triggered flood warnings.

The country has reeled from disaster to disaster in recent years, as it feels the effects of climate change.

"This is one of the reasons why my government... [is] determined to act on climate change," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said when speaking about the situation on Wednesday.

Heatwave sweeps Australian cities and raises bushfire danger

A large blaze brought an emergency warning to Adelaide in South Australia on Monday, while neighbouring Victoria faced its worst fire risk in a year.

Victoria's capital Melbourne reached 30C by 07.30 local time (20.30 Sunday GMYT) ahead of an expected 40C maximum.

Temperatures in Sydney were also forecast to exceed 30C for a third day.

Health officials have urged people to stay inside and to avoid physical activity, and for those near bushfires to avoid inhaling smoke.

Australian Open practice suspended and qualifying delayed over poor air quality

Organisers said the conditions were expected to improve and would be "monitored constantly".

An estimated 10 million hectares (100,000 sq km) of land has burned since 1 July amid record-breaking temperatures and months of drought.

At least 28 people have died.

Qualifying was scheduled to begin at 11am local time (00:00 GMT) with British players Liam Broady, Naiktha Bains, Harriet Dart, Jay Clarke and Samantha Murray scheduled on court.

Australia bushfires might burn for months, Morrison warns

At least 24 people have died since the fires began in September. Air quality in the capital Canberra was this weekend rated the worst in the world.

Mr Morrison announced the creation of a recovery agency to help those who have lost homes and businesses in the fires.

He has faced fierce criticism over the speed of his response to the crisis.

The weekend saw some of the worst days of the crisis so far, with hundreds more properties destroyed. Rural towns and major cities saw red skies, falling ash and smoke that clogged the air.

Sydney gets toughest water restrictions in a decade

On Tuesday, level two restrictions were enacted in the capital of New South Wales (NSW), a state 99.9% in drought.

These could be increased to level three within months, local media report.

Temperatures are predicted to soar above 40C (104F) from Tuesday, worsening fires which have already killed six people since October.

There are now more than 100 fires in NSW and Queensland states, many of which have been burning for several weeks.

What are the water restrictions?

Australian states declare state of emergency over 'catastrophic' threat from bushfires

At least three people are dead and thousands have been displaced by three days of dangerous weather conditions in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland.

But officials say the worst danger will come on Tuesday for areas around Sydney, the nation's largest city.

More than 120 bushfires are burning across the two states.

In NSW, the blazes have scorched 970,000 hectares of land and destroyed 150 houses. Nine homes have been razed in Queensland.

Australia starts 2016 under threat from bushfires

Overnight, an emergency warning was issued for the southwestern part of Secret Harbour in the city of Rockingham, which is just south of Perth.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services said there was a threat to lives and homes in the area,