Catastrophic alerts have been issued in Australia after record-breaking temperatures and wild lightning storms sparked more than 100 fires across the country. Officials on Saturday said the unseasonably hot and dry weather combined with strong winds have led to blazes breaking out in the country's south eastern states. In New South Wales a total fire ban was issued preventing people from burning rubbish or having barbecues. Over 60 fresh blazes were sparked by the lightning storms, which mostly hit New South Wales, while the states of Victoria South Australia were also affected. <br/>