QUEENSLAND is heading into a wild weekend of weather, with a scorching heatwave fuelling outback bushfires while beaches are battered by big waves.
And thousands of firefighters are on alert in Victoria as authorities brace for days of the most dangerous conditions since the Black Saturday bushfires, which killed 173 people in 2009.
A "superheated" air mass flowing from the deserts of central Australia will push temperatures well above 40C across huge areas of Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the Northern Territory into next week.
Much of Queensland's interior, west of a line from Roma to Charter Towers, will be hit by the searing heat, with Birdsville tipped to peak above 46C.
Locals are being warned to stay indoors to escape the extreme heat.
The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service yesterday issued a severe fire danger warning for most of the state's north and far southwest as humidity of less than 10 per cent and 35km/h winds helped create tinder-dry conditions.
Fourteen bushfires were burning across the state and fire crews yesterday battled two blazes that threatened properties near Koah and Speewah, west of Cairns.
QFRS director of rural operations Peter Varley said most of the state's 12,000 volunteer rural firefighters were on standby, supported by tankers and bulldozers to build firebreaks.
"It has been a harsh bushfire season," Mr Varley said.
"There has been little relief since August from Cape York to the New South Wales border, with lots of stock feed lost to bushfire. It's not over yet."
Graziers fear more devastation after bushfires, sparked by lightning, destroyed close to a million hectares of land. About 20 cattle stations have been affected - seven near Georgetown completely burned out - leaving animals with little or no feed.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Amber Young said inland temperatures up to 7C above average were likely to continue for the next few days.
Cairns yesterday imposed water restrictions on residents after its driest December since 2005 saw water reservoir levels drop below 80 per cent.
Temperatures in Brisbane and the southeast are expected to remain in the high 20s over the weekend, but the warmer weather could push into the region by Tuesday or Wednesday, lifting the mercury above 30C.
Big swells whipped up by ex-Cyclone Freda in the Pacific will grow, creating dangerous conditions for swimmers on the Gold and Sunshine coasts.
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