Sydney swelters through autumn heatwave, bushfire threat looms

FILE PHOTO: Heat haze can be seen in a paddock on May McKeown's 6000 acre (2400 hectare) property of 'Long View' near the town of Come-by-Chance, located over 700 km north-west of Sydney in Australia, March 17, 2017. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Parts of Australia's east including Sydney recorded their hottest day in more than two years on Monday with temperatures hitting more than 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), raising the risk of bushfires.

Firefighters are working to contain nearly 40 bushfires across New South Wales, the home state of one-third of Australians, with crews on the ground supported by aircraft.