Heatwave warnings as bushfires continue to blaze across Australia

Demonstrators participating in a climate protest rally in Sydney on Sunday (dec 15). Protesters rallied in front of the landmark Sydney Opera House demanding urgent climate action from Australia's government, as bushfire smoke choking the city caused health problems to spike. - AFP

SYDNEY: Temperatures hit 40 degrees Celsius for a third consecutive day in Western Australia on Sunday (Dec 15) as fires blazed out-of-control north of the capital city Perth.

Since Wednesday, firefighters have been battling a blaze in Yanchep, some 56km north of Perth, which has so far burnt through nearly 12,000 hectares, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said.