4 killed in wildfires raging across Australia’s southwest

SYDNEY — Wildfires raging across southwest Australia killed four people, officials said Wednesday, as a blistering heat wave swept through the country.

The bodies of four people were found in a rural area north of the town of Esperance, where several fires have been burning since they were sparked by lightning on Sunday, Western Australia police said in a statement. Disaster victim identification officers were flying to the small towns of Salmon Gums and Grass Patch, where the bodies were found.

Residents of Salmon Gums were evacuated and schools were closed.

Firefighters have struggled to contain the blazes as fierce winds and temperatures in the 40s Celsius (more than 100 Fahrenheit) have battered the region over the past several days.

Conditions had improved by Wednesday, with the hot, dry air moving east. The temperature was expected to reach just 23 Celsius (73 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday.

The Salmon Gums blaze has burned through 3,000 square kilometers (1,100 square miles) of land, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said.

Officials were trying to determine whether any properties had been destroyed. The area is predominantly agricultural, and is known for its wheat crops.

Destructive wildfires are common across much of Australia during the southern hemisphere summer. In 2009, wildfires killed 173 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes in Victoria state.

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