Through the heatwave haze, the hypocrisy of Australia’s fossil fuel policy shines bright | Clean Air

The heatwave in Melbourne and Adelaide this week is likely to become the norm. We should prepare now

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On Tuesday, Australia's second-largest city baked through one of its hottest days since modern instrumental records began in 1910. Several Melbourne suburbs topped 45C. The country's fifth-largest city, Adelaide, reached that temperature on Monday. Its residents then suffered through their hottest night ever, with a minimum of about 34C.

Remote communities were even harder hit. It was 48.9C in Hopetoun and Walpeup in Victoria's north-west, and 49.6C in Renmark, over the South Australian border. An out-of-control bushfire burned in the Otways region, south-west of Melbourne, near areas that just two weeks ago faced flash flooding.

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