Record-breaking heat wave and "catastrophic" wildfires hit Australia

Threat level: Nearly 140 wildfires are burning in Queensland amid the unprecedented heat. In Australia, as in the U.S., climate change is leading to an uptick in wildfires.

"We have never, ever, in this state, been in this situation before. Not at a catastrophic level and this is uncharted waters," Queensland Fire and Emergency Services commissioner Katarina Carroll told the AP.

By the numbers: Here are some of the all-time heat records that have fallen during this stretch.

• Innisfail Airport: 42.3°C, or 108.1°F, which was its hottest day on record.
• Townsville: 41.7°C, or 107°F, which set a November record.
• Cooktown: 43.9°C, or 111.2°F, which was its hottest day on record.
• Cairns: 42.6°C, or 108.7°F, which was its hottest day on record.

"This really has been an exceptional — and still is an exceptional — heat and fire event in Queensland," said Bureau of Meteorology state manager Bruce Gunn, according to the AP. "We've seen all-time temperature records absolutely shattered — records that have stood for 60 or 70 years."

• The records are particularly remarkable since northeastern Queensland is a tropical region, where the weather is sultry but not typically so hot.

• These heat records have also continued the string of extreme heat milestones set worldwide this year.

The bottom line: As multiple recent climate science reports make clear, increasing average temperatures lead to a higher probability of extreme heat events. And when these events occur, they tend to be more severe and longer-lasting.

Go deeper:

• 2018's global heat wave is so pervasive it's surprising scientists
• Global heat waves animation shows records broken in 2018
• Special report: A 30-year alarm on the reality of climate change