The country was never as hot and as dry at the same time as it was in 2019, which helped set the stage for the devastating fires. In December, Australia recorded its . On Dec. 18, the nationally averaged maximum temperature was 107.4 degrees (41.9 Celsius), shattering the old record of 104.5 degrees (40.3 Celsius) set in 2013. Australia has warmed by just over 1.8 degrees (1 degree Celsius) since 1910, with most of the warming occurring since 1950. The Bureau of Meteorology has found an uptick in the frequency of extreme heat events and severity of drought conditions during this period, as well.