Queensland faces increased fire risk, temperatures above average

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Queensland has experienced one of its warmest September days on record. Unseasonal heatwave conditions swept across the state as dozens of bushfires continued to burn on the east coast. All blazes are contained but authorities are warning it's only a taste of what's to come this summer.

Transcript

00:00 A kaleidoscope of colours.

00:05 The foggy Brisbane sunrise, a harmonious backdrop to welcome in the day.

00:10 "It was a very pleasant surprise to see a scene like this, so I've taken a few pictures

00:15 and sent them around the place to see what the boys have missed out if they didn't come."

00:17 The mercury soared across the state in one of the warmest September days on record, Koolangatta

00:24 hitting a new high of 33.9 degrees.

00:27 Brisbane soared to 35, while Julia Creek reached 39 degrees.

00:32 "Nothing better than these beaches, blue skies, no clouds, the high rises, we love it."

00:38 "We love it, it's very nice."

00:40 "It's great, the water's wild."

00:44 In Winton in outback Queensland, hundreds of iron men and women endured sweltering conditions,

00:51 putting their strength to the test.

00:53 "The sun is just outrageous, so plenty of beers and plenty of water."

00:57 "It's more the alcohol than what they get out."

00:59 It's the first taste of El Nino since the weather event was declared.

01:03 "Our climate drivers are really tending us towards above average temperatures over the

01:07 coming months and below average rainfall."

01:09 Dangerously hot, dry and windy conditions had fire crews on high alert.

01:15 "We've had some conditions which haven't been favourable for us, but very luckily we've

01:19 had lots of hard working crews that have put long hours in to bring this fire under control."

01:25 More than 30 fires are burning across the state, from Townsville in the north to Ballandine

01:31 near the New South Wales border.

01:34 Temperatures are expected to drop later tonight when a cool change sweeps across the southeast.

01:39 Relief for now, but with a long hot summer ahead, today is just a taste of what's to

01:45 come.

01:46 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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