Evacuations as heatwave sparks fires in Australia

Australian authorities on Wednesday issued evacuation warnings as southern regions of the country were hit by a heatwave and bushfires, according to local media reports.

Authorities in Victoria issued an evacuation warning for a blaze in the northern part of the state, while firefighters in South Australia were also bracing for challenging conditions, ABC News reported.

Some areas are expecting consecutive days of temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

In Western Australia, a state emergency-level bushfire warning was also issued for High Wycombe and Maida Vale, about 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) from the city of Perth.

The state emergency department urged people living along Brand Road, Sultana Road and Roe Highway in parts of High Wycombe to take shelter in safe places, saying the fire had affected evacuation routes.

"You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes," the Fire and Emergency department said in the warning.

Last month, around 16 houses were destroyed while others remained under threat when bushfires swept through the Mid North and Central Coast regions of the eastern Australian state of New South Wales.