A man lays in a pool of sea water he dug into Sydney's North Cronulla Beach as Sydneysiders take refuge from sweltering conditions during a heatwave along Australia's east coast, February 11, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Reed
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian emergency services were bracing against "potentially catastrophic" fire conditions on Saturday, as firefighters battled nearly 50 blazes in the state of New South Wales, sweltering in a heat wave sweeping the country's east coast.
Weather officials fear temperatures could hit 48 degrees C (118.4 F) in some areas, setting a record for the state's hottest February day ever. People have been banned from setting fires, and some major sports events have been cancelled.
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