Australia heat wave stokes risk of catastrophic bushfires

SYDNEY, Australia — Millions of Australians were Thursday warned to prepare for a stifling heat wave stoking the risk of “catastrophic” bushfires across swathes of the country. Temperatures are forecast to soar past 40C in parts of southeast Australia, fueling some of the most dangerous bushfire conditions seen since the “Black Summer” blazes of 2019-2020.