A TOP paramedic has warned people to not leave children in cars as severe heatwave delivers scorching temperatures across south-east Queensland.
Possible storms have also been forecast to hit later today.
Queensland Ambulance Service clinical director Tony Hucker said heat-related illnesses could be fatal, urging people to take heat stroke symptoms seriously and to not go outdoors in the hottest part of the day.
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- “The biggest risk is people dehydrating and overheating,” he said.
“Look out for your older neighbours and young kids in particular,” he said.
“Don’t leave kids in cars at all on days like today and tomorrow, because it is super hot and cars get hot really quickly.”
The mercury is set to reach 33 degrees today across the Redlands before peaking to about 34 degrees on Wednesday.
Temperatures forecast for coastal areas are below those tipped for inland towns, like at Boonah in the Scenic Rim, which could be baked by daytime highs of 42 degrees by Wednesday.
Logan is also set tipped to swelter, with a daytime high of 38 degrees forecast for Wednesday.
The heatwave this month has come after Queensland experienced an exceptionally dry and hot January due to a series of back-to-back heatwaves across the state.
Mr Hucker said avoiding heatstroke was doable, so long as simple planning was undertaken.
“If you are going to do strenuous activity, make sure you have lots of breaks and have lots of water with you,” he said.
“Heat-related syndromes can be fatal if you don’t manage it. If you take simple planning steps, you can avoid that.”
