THE fire ban for the Redlands has been extended over the Christmas period as temperatures soar and the south-east faces severe fire danger.
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The local fire ban will remain in place until 11.59pm on Monday 30 December for residents in the Brisbane, Redlands and Moreton Bay council areas.
"Heightened fire conditions are perfect for bushfires to ignite and spread quickly," a fire and emergency services statement said.
Under the ban all open fires are prohibited and all fire permits issued in the Redlands have been cancelled.
Christmas barbecues can still go ahead though, with fires lit for cooking allowed under the ban as long as they are attended at all times, lit within a properly constructed barbecue, smoker or oven and managed appropriately.
Power tools may be used during a local fire ban but QFES encouraged people to use them with extreme care and ensure equipment was available to extinguish any fire which may start.
"This may include having a person available to watch out for any ignitions that occur."
The fire danger is set to drop from severe on Monday to high on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but a weather bureau forecaster said there was no rain coming in the immediate future.
The seasonal bushfire outlook - released this month - said 2019 had seen the second warmest January to November period on record for Australia, coupled with the second driest on record for the same period.
"It is these conditions that lead to the continued above normal fire potential across most states and territories into 2020," the outlook said.
"A long and challenging fire season is expected, and all states and the ACT are warning of increased fire danger as the fire season progresses."
The drought has seen trees dropping branches and leaves providing more fuel for the fires, with blazes spreading more widely and with more intensity than usual.
"Normally wet and fire-resistant rainforest and wet forests are becoming available and burning for the second season in a row, with this phenomenon now extending into southern Queensland to areas such as the Lamington and Main Range National Parks."
Information on fire bans and the exemptions that can apply can be found at ruralfire.qld.gov.au.
