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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/dec/02/queensland-bushfires-heatwave-dry-lightning-and-cyclone-threaten-state
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| Queensland bushfires: gusty winds and searing heat fan flames | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Gusty winds and soaring temperatures are testing exhausted firefighters as 105 bushfires continue to burn across Queensland and a severe heatwave spreads south. | |
| Winds of up to 60km/h were whipping through the Darling Downs and Granite Belt on Sunday, where temperatures were by midday already approaching 40C in many districts. | |
| In central Queensland, where bushfires have been raging for more than a week, 40km/h gust were recorded. | |
| Bushfires at Deepwater and Eungella in central Queensland, as well as at Carnarvon in the south-west and on North Stradbroke Island, near Brisbane, remain the most concerning. | |
| The acting prime minister, Michael McCormack, who was touring “devastated” areas in central Queensland, said the conditions remained concerning. | |
| “We’re still in the response phase of this firefight, there are still many fires burning out of control,” he told reporters on Sunday. “It’s quite hot out there at the moment, the winds have the potential to whip up at any stage, so we need to watch and wait and see.” | |
| McCormack paid tribute to the firefighters and volunteers who have been battling the blazes, which have destroyed more than 527,000 hectares of land. | |
| “There are people out there, they are exhausted, they are fighting the good fight for their community, for their districts and their lives, and they’ll continue to do that,” he said. “Let’s hope the weather turns in their favour this week.” | |
| The Bureau of Meteorology said the windy conditions combined with the hot and dry conditions had pushed the fire rating back to severe. | |
| “There is still some days to go until we some relief ... there is no significant rain on the horizon especially in central Queensland before Tuesday,” meteorologist Bruce Gunn said. | |
| Forecast thunderstorms for Sunday would not produce rain but were expected to start more fires due to “dry lightning”, Gunn said. | Forecast thunderstorms for Sunday would not produce rain but were expected to start more fires due to “dry lightning”, Gunn said. |
| It came as a tropical low, which was likely to form into a cyclone, headed south-west towards Cairns. | |
| More than 400 interstate firefighters were battling the bushfires with the help of 20 aircraft. | More than 400 interstate firefighters were battling the bushfires with the help of 20 aircraft. |
| The bushfire crisis saw its first loss of life on Friday night, with the death of a 21-year-old man at Rolleston, south of Emerald. He was using a chainsaw to cut down a tree for a firebreak when the tree fell on him. | The bushfire crisis saw its first loss of life on Friday night, with the death of a 21-year-old man at Rolleston, south of Emerald. He was using a chainsaw to cut down a tree for a firebreak when the tree fell on him. |
| On Sunday, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, urged people in Queensland to look out for each other. | On Sunday, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, urged people in Queensland to look out for each other. |
| Morrison had been monitoring the fires from the G20 meeting in Argentina ahead of his return to Australia on Monday morning. | Morrison had been monitoring the fires from the G20 meeting in Argentina ahead of his return to Australia on Monday morning. |
| “Despite the very sad loss of one young man, a 21-year-old man who died while clearing a fire break west of Rockhampton, so far I think the efforts have been extraordinary,” Morrison told reporters in Buenos Aires on Saturday local time. | “Despite the very sad loss of one young man, a 21-year-old man who died while clearing a fire break west of Rockhampton, so far I think the efforts have been extraordinary,” Morrison told reporters in Buenos Aires on Saturday local time. |
| “People’s lives have been very significantly disrupted by the evacuations and other actions that have had to be taken. | “People’s lives have been very significantly disrupted by the evacuations and other actions that have had to be taken. |
| “We’d ask for your patience, not just while the fires are burning, but for the many, many, many days ahead, as there will be the clean-up work and the restoration that will have to follow. | “We’d ask for your patience, not just while the fires are burning, but for the many, many, many days ahead, as there will be the clean-up work and the restoration that will have to follow. |
| “We’re still expecting many more days of very difficult conditions in all of these areas,” Morrison said. | “We’re still expecting many more days of very difficult conditions in all of these areas,” Morrison said. |
| “Just remember to look out for each other, particularly in these heatwave conditions that may not result in fire directly. There is a need to ensure we’re keeping an eye on each other.” | “Just remember to look out for each other, particularly in these heatwave conditions that may not result in fire directly. There is a need to ensure we’re keeping an eye on each other.” |
| Bushfires | Bushfires |
| Queensland | Queensland |
| Wildfires | Wildfires |
| Natural disasters and extreme weather | Natural disasters and extreme weather |
| Australia weather | Australia weather |
| Scott Morrison | Scott Morrison |
| news | news |
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