Action to mitigate the devasting effects of extreme heat

Until recently, Australians celebrated hot days as a normal part of Aussie culture.

But as heatwaves become more intense and more frequent, agencies like Australian Red Cross are growing increasingly concerned about the potential effects of extreme heat, says Eilish Maguire, Lead of the Urban Climate Resilience Program at Australian Red Cross, funded by the Z Zurich Foundation

“Extreme heat doesn’t affect everyone equally. The people most at risk are often those already facing vulnerability, living in situations where they lack the supports and protections needed to stay safe,” she says.

The Centre’s seminal 2014 paper showing that heatwaves are Australia’s deadliest natural hazard has been cited more than 400 times and referenced in 62 policy documents in Australia and internationally.

But the full impacts of heatwaves are still largely unknown, with no data on the true physical and mental costs of extreme heat. Australian houses are not designed to cope with heat, and hot days seldom receive the media attention that other natural hazards do.

Australian Red Cross and Sweltering Cities partnered in 2025 and again in 2026 to launch a major campaign alerting Australians to the risk of extreme heat.

Extreme Heat Awareness Day mobilised organisations across the country to raise community awareness about the dangers of heat. It generated national media coverage and lobbied Parliament for more plans and funding for extreme heat resilience and response. Ms Maguire says the 2026 campaign reached nearly 7 million people.

“Australian Red Cross has always taken an all-hazards approach to supporting communities to prepare for disasters, but until a few years ago extreme heat wasn’t given the same focus as other risks,” she says.

“The evidence is now unmistakeable: extreme heat is a major and escalating threat, and organisations like Australian Red Cross have a critical role to play. That’s why we’re continuing to shift and adapt our work to better support communities to be more resilient to heatwaves and extreme heat events.”

Extreme heat presents a serious problem for emergency services as well. Dr Jane Sexton, Director, State Intelligence, Predictions and Planning at the Queensland Fire Department (QFD), says it increases health risk for firefighters and volunteers, it reduces physical and cognitive performance during emergency work, and it can disrupt critical infrastructure and planning assumptions that QFD relies on during incidents.

Dr Sexton says QFD is increasingly managing extreme heat through better planning, forecasting, cooling, monitoring and training.

“The 2014-era research and subsequent Queensland studies helped establish heatwave as a serious and worsening hazard. QFD’s later state risk assessment and impact forecasting work, and Critical Infrastructure Disaster Risk Assessment built on that foundation,” she says.

“NHRA can add value by helping convert heatwave science into practical, sector-specific tools that help QFD protect crews, volunteers and the community during prolonged extreme heat.”

The Bureau of Meteorology recently developed the National Heatwave Warning Framework, aiming for a nationally consistent approach to heat health and heatwave warnings across Australian state and territories.  

The Centre is studying the efficacy, reach and impact of this national heatwave service and conducting further research into the full impacts and costs of extreme heat events.

Acknowledging our funders and partners

• Queensland Fire Department
• Bureau of Meteorology
• Energy Networks Australia
• WA Health
• NT Health
• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
• Australian Institute of Health and Safety
• Country Fire Service (SA)
• Australian Bureau of Statistics
• Resilient South
• Northern Sydney Local Health Network
• Australian Red Cross