Residents in Western Australia urged to flee as wildfire rages

Residents in the state of Western Australia were urged to evacuate their homes on Saturday, as a bushfire burned out of control near the state's capital Perth, amid soaring temperatures. More than 40 bushfires were burning on Saturday in Australia's largest state, with residents in the shire of Chittering, about 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of Perth, at risk from the uncontained blaze, according to fire authorities. Australia is in the grips of a high-risk bushfire season after the onset of an El Nino weather event, associated with extreme events such as wildfires, cyclones and droughts.