Heatwaves and climate change

Those most at risk during a heatwave are:

• people aged over 65 years, especially those living alone,
• people with medical conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease or mental illness
• people taking certain medications
• people with problematic alcohol or drug use
• people with a disability who may not be able to communicate their discomfort or thirst
• people who have trouble moving around
• people who are overweight or obese
• pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, babies and young children
• people who work or are physically active outdoors
• people who live in the upper levels of buildings constructed before 1975.

• Look after yourself and keep in touch with sick or frail friends, neighbours and relatives.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Keep yourself cool using wet towels, putting your feet in cool water and taking cool showers.
• Spend as much time as possible in cool or air-conditioned buildings.
• Close blinds during the day and open windows when there is a cool breeze.
• Don't leave children, adults or animals in parked cars.
• Stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. If you must go out, stay in the shade and take water.
• Wear loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing.
• Eat smaller meals more often and cold meals such as salads.
• Make sure food that needs refrigeration is stored properly.
• Avoid strenuous activity.
• Watch or listen to news reports that provide more information during a heatwave.

• Service your air conditioner before summer.
• Stock up on food, water and medicines so you don't need to go out in the heat.
• Store medicines at the recommended temperature.
• Install awnings, shade cloth or external blinds on the sides of the house facing the sun.
• Know where your closest 'cool places' are.

• The risk of a power outage is greater in extreme weather conditions. Make sure you have a plan in case of a blackout.
• Plan what to do if a heatwave caused a blackout or disrupted public transport.
• Ensure you have a torch, a fully charged mobile phone and battery-operated radio.
• Consider your need for backup power, and don't rely on power as part of your bushfire preparedness plan.
• Remember power outages can affect phones, radios and water pumps.

The Victorian Government website has more useful information.

Take refuge from the heat in one of Stonnington's many cool places.

• Phoenix Park Library
• Toorak South Yarra Library
• Malvern Library
• Harold Holt Memorial Swim Centre
• Prahran Aquatic Centre
• Phoenix Park Community Centre
• Chapel Off Chapel
• Chadstone Shopping Centre
• Malvern Central Shopping Centre
• Pran Central Shopping Centre
• Jam Factory Shopping Centre
• Como Centre
• Village Cinema, Jam Factory
• Hoyts Cinema, Chadstone

We are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, including:

• a decrease in average rainfall
• a temperature increase of just over 1°C since 1910
• increased fire danger in spring Increased severity and frequency of bushfires
• more intense storm and flooding
• increase in severe droughts.

In the future, Victoria can expect:

• the average annual temperature to increase up to 2.4°C
• double the number of very hot days
• longer fire seasons with up to 60 per cent more very high fire danger days
• more intense downpours
• decline in alpine snowfall of 35 to 75 per cent
• rising sea levels of around 24 cm.

• More than 4,000 people were hospitalised, and 445 people died due to the smoke from the 2020 Black Summer bushfires.
• Flooding has resulted in a tenfold increase in human-reported cases of Ross River Virus since 1993.
• Ambulance Victoria had a 700 per cent rise in call-outs for cardiac arrest during the 2014 heatwave.
• Healthcare professional are already seeing climate-related physical and mental health conditions in their community, such as heat stress and anxiety.
• Exposure to bushfire smoke exacerbates heart and lung conditions, including asthma, and increases eye, nose and throat irritation.
• Outdoor workers and manual labourers are at an increased risk of heat illness and heat stroke.
• Bacteria like Salmonella thrive in the warmth, increasing our risk of food poisoning and gastrointestinal illnesses.
• Warmer temperatures can lead to harmful algal blooms in water bodies, which threaten the safety of our drinking water and expose people to toxins.
• Warmer temperatures can lengthen the pollen season.
• Extreme weather can lead to psychological distress due to trauma, illness, loss of loved ones, destruction of property and displacement, and disruption of communities, goods and services.
• Victorians feel frustration, sadness and outrage about climate change. These negative emotions, known as 'eco-anxiety' are felt more strongly by young people than any other population group.
• The security and quality of our water resources are under threat, which affects overall food production.

Victorians rank health as the issue most important to them:

• 90 per cent have not thought about how climate change may affect their health.
• 1 in 3 Victorians are unaware that climate change will likely increase health risks.