Australia experiences hottest day on record

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology fixed the hottest day on record on December 17, when the air temperature reached 40.9C, Report informs, citing RIA Novosti.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said "extensive" heat on Tuesday exceeded the previous record of 40.3C set on January 7, 2013.

Fires in Australia raged with a renewed vigor in early November, taking lives and engulfing more than a million hectares of woodlands, including the koala habitat.