Only months into its own summer, the Meteorology

Bureau of Australia says it has run out of colours to map the record heatwave

gripping the southern continent.

Australia recorded its hottest day on

record on Wednesday, with an average maximum temperature of 41.9C (107.4F),

beating the previous record of 40.9C, which was set only 24 hours earlier.

Tuesday, December 16 saw Australian thermometers

record an average of 40.9C across the continent, beating the previous record of

40.3C set in January 2013.

Wednesday was even hotter across the

country, with the highest maximum temperature recorded in Birdsville in southern

Australia, at 47.7C (117.8).

The soaring temperatures in the Land Downunder

come amid bushfires raging across sections of the country.

The territory of New South Wales is reeling

under the ongoing crisis, where more than 100 blazes are still alight. There is

also an increase in hospital admissions because of smoke and heatstroke.

The bushfires situation is an uphill battle

for Australian firefighting teams, as the blazes are being aided by strong

winds, severe drought and high temperatures.