A FIRE ban has been extended for another 24 hours across the Redlands as firefighters watch a bushfire at North Stradbroke Island.
The of lighting of fires in the open is prohibited up until 11.59pm on Thursday, November 29, with all permits to light fires previously issued in the Redlands area cancelled.
Dry and hot conditions have swept across the state, with firefighters responding to almost 200 fires overnight across Queensland.
A lightning strike, delivered by hail-bearing storms travelling east about noon on Wednesday, is understood to have ignited the bushfire at North Stradbroke Island’s Eighteen Mile Swamp.
The blaze, which was south of Alfred Martin Way at Dunwich, was contained by firefighters overnight.
Campers were told to leave Main Beach campgrounds after the fire broke out on Wednesday, with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services advising island residents to keep up to date with conditions and make plans in case evacuations were needed.
Catastrophic fire dangers at Capricornia and the Central Highlands and Coalfields have eased today but very high fire dangers remain across the south-east and parts of central and coastal Queensland.
Unprecedented weather conditions and a heatwave tipped to expand across most of Queensland by Saturday have authorities on high alert.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said New South Wales firefighters had bolstered ranks throughout the past week, warning people to keep alert and listen to authorities.
Health Minister Steven Miles said heat had been a top concern for health authorities throughout the past week.
“We have a heatwave gripping large parts of the state, fires in the central regions, dust in the south-east, fallen bats in the north, and high winds and storms for other parts of the state,” he said.
“Experts have advised of very windy conditions in the southern, western and central parts of the state, and combined with hot and dry air, it’s a very serious event.
Queensland Acting chief health officer Dr Sonya Bennett urged people to drink plenty of fluid and stay indoors.
She said muscle cramps, rashes, heavy sweating, paleness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and fainting were all signs of heat-related illnesses, which could require emergency treatment.
“Anybody can be at risk of heat-related illness but infants, the elderly, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and people with some pre-existing medical conditions are particularly vulnerable,” she said.
“Always check the colour of your urine to ensure you are well-hydrated. It should be clear to light straw-coloured, not dark or gold.”
