High fire danger forecast for Tuesday
THE combination of record-breaking high temperatures and strong coastal winds will create risky bushfire conditions across New South Wales and some parts of Queensland on Tuesday.
South of the border, a total fire ban is in place for all of NSW, while the forecast for fire danger across regional Queensland remains "high to very high".
The Bureau of Meteorology on Monday issued an official fire weather warning for the Channel Country and north and central west districts of Queensland, including Charleville, Maranoa and Warrego.
Warnings come as southern cities were gripped in a heatwave in the past few days, expected to peak across the eastern seaboard with mid-40s temperatures on Tuesday.
The high temperatures and abundance of grasses and fuel loads in regional areas prompted NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell to declare a state-wide fire ban.
While a state-wide fire ban has not been declared for Queensland, even among coastal regions, the high to very high fire danger risk means lighting fires today is not recommended.
Swells off the east coast were also expected to be higher than usual, with strong winds posing a significant risk to those on the water on Tuesday.
Tuesday's Forecast:
Queensland:
Central Coast and Whitsundays: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Min: 22; Max: 30 Fire Danger: High
Capricornia: Partly cloudy but mostly fine with isolated showers. Min: 21; Max: 32 Fire Danger: Very High
Central Highlands and Coalfields: Isolated showers in north-east, fine and mostly sunny elsewhere. Min: 13; Max: 34 Fire Danger: High to Very High
Wide Bay and Burnett: Partly cloudy with isolated showers near coast, fine and mostly sunny in west. Min: 21; Max: 31 Fire Danger: High
Darling Downs and Granite Belt: Fine and mostly sunny. Min 18; Max: 31 Fire Danger: High
Southeast Coast: Mostly fine, with isolated showers in morning. Min: 18; Max: 35 Fire Danger: High
Maranoa and Warrego: Fine and sunny. Min 21; Max: 38 Fire Danger: Very High
NSW:
Northern Rivers: Early morning fog, sunny afternoon and hot. Min: 17; Max: 34 Fire Danger: High
Coffs Coast: Partly cloudy, light winds. Min: 19; Max: 34 Fire Danger: High
SOURCE: Bureau of Meteorology.
