The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says "significant dust" has been observed at Charleville in southern inland Queensland, with the haze expected to move eastwards towards the coast.

Key points: The dust could become an issue for crews battling fires burning in central Queensland

The dust could become an issue for crews battling fires burning in central Queensland More than a dozen heat records have been smashed across north Queensland since the start of the week

More than a dozen heat records have been smashed across north Queensland since the start of the week On Tuesday, Cooktown reached 43.9C, Innisfail hit 42.3C and Townsville Airport recorded 41.7C

The BOM said visibility was as low as 1,000m in Charleville, and authorities said it could become an issue for firefighters currently battling blazes in central Queensland, if it reaches that part of the state.

Rural Fire Service bushfire safety officer Michael Welsh said the dust could exacerbate already-dangerous fire conditions along the east coast.

"It's hard to see fires, hard to see smoke because of the dust — it's pretty thick here, about 100, 150-metre visibility," Mr Welsh said.

"It's going to be hard to pick out these new fires — if they start — and jump on them early. That's going to be the biggest difficulty for us."

The dust storm is moving through the Central Warrego Race Club at Charleville. ( Supplied: Queensland Ambulance Service )

Heatwave to continue into weekend

More than a dozen heat records have been smashed across north Queensland since the start of the week and an extreme fire danger warning has also been issued for the Capricornia region for Wednesday, with the scorching weather to continue across the state into the weekend.

Temperature records broken so far: Location New Record Old Record Cairns Airport 42.6C (26/11/2018) 40.5C (20/12/1995) Coen 41.6C (27/11/2018) 40.7C (2006) Innisfail Airport 42.3c (27/11/2018) 42C (26/11/2018) Proserpine 44.9C (26/11/2018) 42.9C (20/12/1995) Mackay Airport 40.7C (26/11/2018) 38.5C (11/10/1955) Cooktown 43.9 (27/11/2018) 42.8C (26/11/2018) Townsville 41.7 (November record on 27/11/2018) 41C (November record on 15/11/1971) Source: Bureau of Meteorology

Yesterday Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk issued an urgent plea for residents near Deepwater in central Queensland to leave their homes immediately due to the ongoing threat from a bushfire fanned by the unprecedented heatwave.

"This is not an ordinary fire … this is a dangerous fire that could result in a firestorm," Ms Palaszczuk said late on Tuesday afternoon.

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) state manager Bruce Gunn said a massive swathe of Queensland was under heat stress and records had been tumbling.

Among the maximum temperatures recorded on Tuesday, Cooktown reached 43.9 degrees Celsius, Innisfail hit 42.3C, and Townsville Airport recorded a November record of 41.7C.

"It is still an exceptional weather event in Queensland," Mr Gunn said.

"We've seen all-time weather records absolutely shattered, records that have stood for 60, 70 years — they're really phenomenal conditions that we're experiencing."

The BOM predicted the sweltering temperatures would continue towards the weekend along the coast before hitting western Queensland.

A massive swathe of Queensland is under heat stress and temperature records are tumbling. ( ABC News: Shelley Lloyd )

"There's extreme heatwave conditions being observed from Cooktown to Gladstone — that's a huge area of the state," Mr Gunn said.

"We see extreme fire dangers in Queensland maybe once every two years — we've seen it three times or more in four days.

"While the peak of the fire danger is tomorrow, the conditions are ripe to keep fires going for several days yet."

Heatwave situation predicted in Australia for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday - three days starting November 28, 2018. ( Supplied: Bureau of Meteorology )

Bats die in extreme heat

In the state's far north, hundreds of flying foxes perished in the extreme heatwave conditions, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in the region for multiple consecutive days.

Flying foxes that have become delirious in the record-breaking heat have been striking and biting humans, prompting a warning from health authorities about the potentially deadly lyssavirus.

Cairns smashed its all-time heat record, with the mercury topping 42.6C on Monday.

Queensland Health spokesman Richard Gair said the scorching temperatures caused the flying foxes to become disoriented and fly into humans.

"We've seen a lot of bat bites over the last 24 hours," he said.

"We normally see 30 to 40 bat bites or scratches in a year — over the last 24 hours we've seen seven.

"The bats that have been accidently flying into people, rather than people trying to pick them up [and getting bitten] or help them."

Flying foxes perished in the extreme heatwave conditions in Cairns on Monday. ( ABC News )

Cassowaries taking a dip

In the wet tropics near Mission Beach on the state's north-east coast, a group of cassowaries was filmed submerging themselves in a rainforest stream amid the record-breaking high temperatures.

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Native bees perish in hives

Hives of native bees had also been decimated near Cairns, with the insects unable to withstand the sizzling sun.

"A lot of people with native beehives up here have just experienced a complete loss in those hives," beekeeper Grahame Thornton said.

"They [bees] will die at 42 degrees, but we've had temperatures a lot higher than that and so we've seen a lot of deaths.

"Your average European honey bees are also going to be really stressed, so they could be sprayed with water to cool them down."

Cairns beekeeper Graham Thornton says the native bees were killed by extreme heat. ( Supplied: Graham Thornton )

'Sunscreen' for fruit to stop it burning

Fruit growers battling the heat had been forced to use some unusual tactics to protect their crops, which includes applying special fruit sunscreen.

Mango farmer Tim Keogh, whose property is near Rockhampton, said it was a clay-based product that looked like a white water once dried on the skin of the fruit.

Mangoes with special 'fruit sunscreen' at the farm of grower Tim Keogh. ( ABC Rural: Chloe McKenzie )

"As soon as the forecast for this week came out, we fired up the tractor to get out and give them that protection," he said.

"Basically it just helps protect the fruit from sunburn and discolouration on the skin."

But it is a costly fix — with one application on Mr Keogh's fruit crop costing nearly $4,000.

"It's just one of those things — if you want to produce the good fruit you have to spend the money on it, but this stuff is quite dear," Mr Keogh said.

Other fruit farmers across the northern region shut down production entirely.

Townsville mango grower Peter Manolis said he was worried about staff safety.

"Three or four of our girls have felt under the weather and seeing that sort of effect on our staff — we stopped harvesting yesterday all together," he said.

"We'll probably work the rest of the week as half-days as well."