Australians Flee as Soaring Temperature, Winds Threaten to Fan Fires

A seagull perches on a sign as a ferry can be seen through smoke haze from bushfires, in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 10, 2019. Reuters/Stephen Coates

SYDNEY—Residents in parts of eastern Australia evacuated their homes on Tuesday as soaring temperatures and strong winds threatened to fan bushfires in a giant blaze north of Sydney, the country’s biggest city.

Air quality in parts of Sydney plunged as the city awoke to another thick blanket of smoke, disrupting transport services and prompting health warnings from authorities.