Australia braces for bushfires as heat wave intensifies

The Australian state of New South Wales is bracing for weather described as being "catastrophic" on Friday, as emergency services groups and authorities issue high alert warnings.

State Emergency Services Minister Troy Grant said the "catastrophic conditions" will be unlike anything the state has seen since 2013.

"Emergency services will be on high alert to deal with those conditions," Grant said.

People are being told to head to large buildings with air-conditioning, such as shopping centers and movie theaters, and warned to stay away from national parks and forests due to heightened safety concerns.

There have also been sweeping fire bans across New South Wales, as temperatures are expected to reach well above 40 degrees celsius across the state, with some areas projected to push close to 50 degrees celsius on the weekend.

Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons warned his fire fighting troops that the next three days will be "difficult" for them, and urged people to have their fire survival plan in place.

"Between the RFS, Fire & Rescue, national parks and Forestry NSW, all of our firefighters will be up on a heightened level of standby at the next few days," Fitzsimmons said.

"We need everybody in these most-at-risk areas to do their part."

source: Xinhua