Fire danger remains as Qld heats up

25th August 2009

Mel Sheppard beats the heat in Toowoomba.

THE fire danger remains extreme in Queensland as the state continues to swelter, but the weather bureau says wild winds are expected to ease by Tuesday afternoon.

A total fire ban remained across the south of the state on Tuesday as a top of 31 degrees Celsius was predicted for Brisbane city.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Geoff Doueal said Tuesday would be cooler than Monday, with temperatures falling further this week before a predicted 30 degrees on Sunday.

He said windy weather in the southeast was expected to ease during Tuesday afternoon.

Brisbane is experiencing its hottest August on record, with the temperature soaring to 35.4 degrees about 4.20pm (AEST) on Monday.

Temperatures across the state have been about 10 degrees hotter than average.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Service commissioner Lee Johnson said the first real fire cycle for the year was expected during the next two days.

He said the fire ban meant no fires in the open and warned anyone using machinery, such as slashing grass, should exercise extreme caution.

Residents have been asked to immediately report any fires, including small grass fires, as they could quickly escalate.

Anyone caught lighting a fire during a fire ban faces six months in prison or a $5,000 fine.

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