Australia's extreme heat is sign of things to come, scientists warn

Hottest month ever shows temperatures rising faster than predicted, say climate experts

Australia sweltered through the hottest month in its history in January, spurring mass deaths of fish, fire warnings and concerns among climate scientists that extreme heat is hitting faster and harder than anticipated.

For the first time since records began, the country's mean temperature in January exceeded 30C (86F), according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), which said daily extremes - in some places just short of 50C - were unprecedented.