Six people have been hospitalised for heat-related illnesses ahead of a major heatwave in Queensland.
An 85-year-old Toowoomba woman and a 10-year-old Rockhampton boy were among the patients, underlining health authorities' that warnings the young and old are at most risk from the heat.
South Queensland will get an immediate taste of summer with scorching conditions over the next week, until Wednesday, as the mercury rises into the high 30s.
The weather bureau has revised it's initial prediction of 38C for Brisbane on Friday, which would have been the city's hottest December day since 2001, when the mercury nudged 40C on Christmas Eve.
The bureau now forecasts a maximum of 36C, which is still 7C above average.
Temperatures are then predicted to settle around 34C across the weekend and into next week, with the top temperatures only dropping to 33C by next Friday.
In preparation, Queensland Health have activated a safety plan usually reserved for cyclones and floods.
The Queensland Ambulance Service is also worried about the effects on vulnerable people, in particular the young and old, in urban areas.
As well as the 10-year-old boy in Rockhampton, a 13-year-old girl on the Sunshine Coast was treated for heatstroke on Thursday as temperatures moved into the 30s for much of the state.
QAS' director of clinical quality and patient safety Tony Hucker said those living in built-up areas were at particular risk during heatwaves.
"Once the ambient temperature rises, particularly in built-up areas, that's where the heat gets contained," Mr Hucker said on Thursday.
"And then you take the breeze away, that's when we start to see the high risk."
Mr Hucker called on the public to help reduce the service's workload by taking care of themselves.
"Watch your hydration, keep your temperature down, and try to avoid the hottest part of the day," he said
Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick said they had extra crews on standby.
"We've done a lot of planning to ensure we have the staff there, but if we all work together, we can beat the heat this summer."
