Updated
The weather bureau says Queenslanders need to brace for heatwave conditions today, with fire authorities saying it is the fire season's most dangerous day in three years.
The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) says severe to extreme fire conditions are predicted in three-quarters of the state from Charters Towers in the north, west to the Northern Territory and down to the New South Wales border.
There has been a dangerous combination of scorching temperatures and low humidity in recent days.
Weather bureau senior forecaster Michelle Berry says Brisbane is predicted to get hotter than Birdsville, in the state's far south-west.
It will hit 39 degrees Celsius in Brisbane today and Ipswich will reach the 40s.
Ms Berry says there are fire weather warnings spanning most of the state.
"We still have very hot temperatures all the way through central districts and up towards the tropics in fact," she said.
"The only real area throughout the state that will have below average temperatures looks like it will be south-west out towards Birdsville.
"They've had a cooler south-westerly wind change move through, so Brisbane tomorrow in fact will be warmer than Birdsville."
Weather bureau spokesman Rick Threlfall also says Queenslanders need to prepare for a 'scorcher' today.
"It's certainly going to be hot in Ipswich. We are looking at about 41 degrees, 39 degrees in Brisbane itself, and 35 on the Gold Coast," he said.
"Up in the Darling Downs, very hot there too, around about 34 or 35 degrees at Toowoomba.
"Places like Mount Isa, 43 degrees, and through the interior you're looking at Longreach around about 40 degrees."
Heat stress
The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) says extra crews have been rostered on to deal with the expected rush of heat-related illness.
QAS superintendent Sean Mutchmor warns heat stress can kill.
"We're just looking for people to be cautious of everything," he said.
"Certainly there is the potential for people to be overwhelmed by the heat and any heat-related illness is a very important thing.
"It's very potentially life-threatening, so we would encourage people to be cognisant of that fact and stay well hydrated and try to keep cool as much as possible."
He says children and elderly people have less of an ability to identify their temperature as well as regulate it.
"With that being said, even your workmates - if you're a 45-year-old man that's working outside you're just as likely to be effected by heat-related illness, so we should all look after each other," he said.
Brisbane doctor Andrew Jeremijenko says the state's emergency departments will be flooded today with people suffering from the heat.
"We will see deaths today - it is just what happens," he said.
"It may not be from heat directly - it may be that heat aggravates one of the existing medical conditions and causes a death.
"It is very tragic when it happens and that is why it is important to take the necessary precautions and take care of anyone that is elderly sick or young babies.
"I am actually working today and I am expecting a lot of people to come, particularly the elderly, people with other medical conditions.
"We do see an increase in heat-related illnesses and we see actually people get sicker with other illnesses that are exacerbated by the heat."
Tourists warning
Western Queensland paramedic Glen Scanlon says most locals are well versed in managing the heat, but tourists can get caught out.
He says staying hydrated and being sensible about working in the heat are the simplest ways to cope with the rising temperatures.
Mr Scanlon says travellers in remote regions need to ensure they have plenty of water and supplies in their car and tell people where they are going.
"There are not the tourist numbers in these western areas during these warmer months, so there isn't the volume of traffic on a lot of the roads," he said.
"If someone was unfortunate enough to have a breakdown or a mechanical failure, to ensure that they've got enough water to remain there with their vehicle for a significant period of time, depending on how isolated the areas are they are traversing."
Fire preparations
Emergency authorities will be on high alert today as large parts of Queensland face an extreme fire threat.
QFRS spokesman Peter Varley says today is expected to be the fire season's most dangerous day so far.
"Not only the high temperatures, but the lack of humidity and the trough moving across Queensland bringing behind it some very dry winds," he said.
"Under these conditions if we get a fire started we'd certainly be very, very difficult to control and it will stretch our resources."
He says a battle plan has been drawn up.
"We have relocated teams to certain areas of the state and we have aircraft on stand-by etc, so we are prepared for anything that's going to happen."
Mr Varley says it is not too late for residents to act.
"They can still prepare their properties, have a plan for what they're going to do if fire does threaten them," he said.
Most fire permits have been suspended across the state.
Topics: phenomena, emergency-planning, emergency-incidents, fires, brisbane-4000, birdsville-4482, bundaberg-4670, cairns-4870, gladstone-4680, longreach-4730, mackay-4740, maroochydore-4558, rockhampton-4700, mount-isa-4825, southport-4215, toowoomba-4350, townsville-4810
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