A gusty southerly change is bringing the first relief to heatwave-affected areas, but communities are warned about the threat of damaging winds and lightning.
Residents are being urged to flee their homes ahead of a catastrophic fire day expected to bring "unsurvivable" conditions not seen in six years.
Bushfires have ignited on the first day of some of the worst heatwave conditions since Black Summer and authorities warn more is to come.
Fire safety inspections hadn't been carried out for several years at the Swiss bar where a fire that broke out at a New Year's party left 40 people dead.
All of the people killed or injured in New Year fire at a crowded bar in Switzerland have been identified, local police say.
A national day of mourning will remember the 40 people killed in a New Year's Eve bar fire as Swiss authorities confirm all are now identified.
Residents are embracing mutual solidarity to cope with devastating loss after at least 40 people died in a fire at an Alpine resort in Switzerland.
Officials say a deadly fire which tore through the basement of a Swiss ski resort bar may have started when sparklers were held aloft too close to the ceiling.
The revellers who were engulfed in a horrific inferno at a Swiss ski resort are so badly burned it could take days before all the dozens of victims are named.
About 40 people are feared dead and 115 have been hurt, most of them seriously, after a fire during New Year's celebrations in a bar at a Swiss alpine resort.
Dozens of people are feared dead and many others injured after a fire during New Year's celebrations in a bar at a Swiss alpine resort.
A bushfire sparked by a firecracker tossed into bushland has threatened lives and homes and landed a teenager in police custody.
Fires are burning on one side of the country while the threat of floods on the other has led to calls for people to remain vigilant.
Two capital cities can expect ideal weather for Christmas Day, while the rest must contend with conditions ranging from snow to a dangerous heatwave.
The fact that three quarters of Australians lack confidence in their campfire skills may explain why one in 10 bushfires are caused by campfire negligence.
The heatwave impacting Australia's southeast is set to continue across the weekend, but thunderstorms are also on the way.
Inland Australians are tipped to swelter through another day of 40C heat as tropical humidity in the nation's north draws storms south.
The deaths of three people and countless fires caused by exploding lithium-ion batteries have prompted a coronial inquiry into how to reduce the risks.
Hot conditions in the west and stormy weather impacting the east of Australia is putting a strain on firefighters battling bushfires.
Residents in a state capital face total fire bans and extreme conditions after blazes threatened outer suburban homes with scorching temperatures ahead.
As a community takes stock after a blazing inferno that destroyed 16 homes, legal advocates say being prepared for the worst case scenario is crucial.
A veteran firefighter has been killed protecting homes as hot weather combined with moderate winds threatens to bring another day of elevated fire dangers.
At least 23 people, including several tourists, have died after a fire broke out in a nightclub in the popular Indian beach resort state of Goa.
Families are picking up the pieces following devastating early-season bushfires, with leaders warning Australians to "expect the unexpected".
A fast-moving bushfire has destroyed at least a dozen homes in one town as more than 1000 firefighters tackled a host of blazes in extreme heatwave conditions.
Houses, shacks and cars have been damaged by an out-of-control fire as emergency warnings are issued in two states.
Hong Kong is stripping scaffolding nets off all buildings undergoing renovation after the material was suspected of powering an inferno that killed 159 people.
Hong Kong police have completed a search for bodies inside all seven of the eight high-rise residential towers as the death toll from a fire rises to 159.
More bodies have been found at a Hong Kong apartment complex following the city's deadliest fire in decades, including an infant and a 97-year-old.
Authorities have set up an independent inquiry to investigate a horrific fire in Hong Kong that burned seven apartment buildings and killed at least 156 people.
The netting on apartment buildings that caught fire in a horrific inferno in Hong Kong wasn't up to code, authorities say, as the death toll rises to 151.
breaking_news
emergency incident
emergency planning
fire
forecast
health
warning
weather
weather news
