From scorching outback heat to big coastal swells, Queensland's in for a wild ... - NEWS.com.au

Temperatures over 40 degrees have been forecast in almost all states, prompting urgent fire warnings.

SOUTHEAST Queensland escaped the brunt of the heatwave, but areas to to the west were not so lucky.

Locals in the western Queensland town of Birdsville reported the 47.3C temperatures made it too hot to even go to the pub for a thirst quencher.

Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine coasts recorded temperatures of around 30C, but Weather bureau senior forecaster Michelle Berry said temperatures in the west soared to 7C above average.

"We were one of the cooler capital cities," Ms Berry said.

"Many other capitals had a very hot day, but Brisbane had mild temperatures."

Many towns in the west recorded temperatures above 40C and the Department of Community Safety reported 11 fires burning across the state.

Birdsville's temperature of 47.3C was shy of the hottest January temperature of 48.5C recorded in 2004.

Firefighters are on high alert with parts of Australia tipped to have seven days above 40C.

The town's hottest day on record was a blistering 49.5C in December 1972.

Birdsville Hotel manager Gus Daffy said locals had opted instead to stay inside or hit the local billabong to keep cool rather than come to the pub.

"Everybody just locks up in their houses and waits for it to get a bit cooler, and we have very few visitors just because it's too hot," he said.

Further south in Thargomindah, residents hunkered down indoors to avoid the 44C heat and rest up after three days fighting fast-moving bushfires that threatened the town.

Mayor John Ferguson said the town had been fighting fires since before Christmas and was going to be hit with temperatures in the high 40s in the coming week.

"They're big fires and hot fires and this sort of the temperature during the day knocks people around a bit," he said.

The weather bureau is expecting the heatwave gripping the nation to continue, with temperatures in western Queensland expected to stay 5C to 7C above average in the coming days.

Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine Coasts will remain at around 30C or below during the weekend, with possible showers forecast.

A worker tries to keep flames away from infrastructure at Repulse Dam. PIC: Sam Rosewarne

Residents near two bushfires in Tasmania's south are being urged to consider leaving their homes.