It’s shaping up to be a very hot week in Victoria and South Australia. Below, experts respond on various aspects of extreme heat.
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Alasdair Hainsworth is Assistant Director for Weather Services at the Bureau of Meteorology. The Bureau has recently launched a new pilot heatwave forecast service, which provides a measure of the intensity of a heatwave and complements the official temperature forecast
“What is unusual about this event, which the pilot heatwave forecast shows, is that when high maximum temperatures and above average minimum temperatures are sustained over a number of days, there is a build-up of ‘excess’ heat. Extreme heatwave conditions can be seen in southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.
The heatwave service allows the Bureau to inform the community of the extremity of heatwave events, such as this one, for their planning and preparation. The new service is able to map the level of intensity of each heatwave event, indicating areas of ‘severe’ and ‘extreme’ heatwave at the upper end of the scale. The current event shows large areas of southern Australia will reach severe to extreme heatwave conditions.
The heatwave service provides a more advanced indicator than temperature alone in anticipating the impact of heat stress. Severe and extreme heatwaves pose significant risks to human health and safety, in particular for the elderly, who are more vulnerable to the effects of heat stress. When average conditions are exceeded over a period of time by continuously high night-time and day-time temperatures, heat stress becomes a critical factor in human survival and infrastructure resilience.”
Note: For interviews with the Bureau contact 03 9669 4057 or media@bom.gov.au
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Associate Professor Adrian Barnett is a Principal Research Fellow in the Faculty of Health at Queensland University of Technology
“Extreme heat is very bad for our health. Everyone’s cardiovascular system has to work harder when it’s hot, and for some people this extra strain can cause a myocardial infarction or stroke. People with pre-existing cardiovascular disease are at much greater risk, as are the elderly, especially those with dementia. People living in high density inner city areas are also at greater risk because for them the temperature is even hotter because of the urban heat island.
Staying in air conditioning is the best way to reduce your risk, and people should also keep hydrated, avoid alcohol and check on their neighbours. Two things that can make a heat wave far worse are power blackouts and bushfires. Blackouts shut down air conditioners, which are the best way to reduce risk during a heat wave. Bushfires add air pollution to the mix which further challenges peoples’ cardiovascular systems. If lots of people become ill due to the heat then ambulances and hospitals can become extremely busy and the health system struggles to cope.”
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Dr Margaret Loughnan is a Research Fellow at Monash Weather and Climate, Monash University
“Extreme heat IS a risk to people’s health. Older people, babies and young children and people with pre-existing illnesses are at high risk of heat related illness or death during heatwaves.
The key tips are:
avoid exposure – stay out of the sun and close blinds and curtains to shade rooms
avoid strenuous activity especially outdoors
keep drinking – by the time you feel thirsty your body is already dehydrating so drink often to avoid thirst
use air-conditioning or fans and wet the skin with moist towels to stay cool
wear loose, lightweight clothing and have a cool shower or tepid bath for babies and children
Check on elderly family, friends and neighbours especially when heat persists for several days.
Information about heat related illness and coping with the heat is available at:
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/environment/heatwaves-healthy-heat-brochure.htm
http://docs.health.vic.gov.au/docs/doc/BBFB41C1717FDEA1CA257A4400174C2E/$FILE/1310013_heatwave_dl_oct13_WEB_A.pdf
http://sma.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/beat-the-heat-2011.pdf”
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Adjunct Professor Jim McLennan is a Bushfire Safety Researcher at the Bushfire CRC and Adjunct Professor in the School of Psychological Science at La Trobe University
“The threat to life from a period of very hot weather should not be underestimated. The official total death toll due to the 2009 Victorian Black Saturday bushfires was 173. However, it was estimated that during the heatwave in south-eastern Australia 17 January to 8 February 2009 some 374 people died from heat-related causes not associated with bushfires. The young and the elderly are particularly at-risk.”
Source: Department of Human Services, January 2009 heatwave in Victoria: An assessment of health impacts. State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, 2009. http://docs.health.vic.gov.au/docs/doc/F7EEA4050981101ACA257AD80074AE8B/$FILE/heat_health_impact_rpt_Vic2009.pdf
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Roger Paskin is Chief Veterinary Officer, Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA)
“It sounds obvious but it is worth repeating: animals of all kinds need shade, wherever possible, to protect them from searing sun and wind.
Also, they need good supplies of cool water; animals can drink up to double their normal intake during hot weather.
Keep drinking troughs large and clean, especially when moving stock into a fresh paddock as evaporation may make trough water become saline and undrinkable.”
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Dr Sarah Perkins is a Research Associate for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science
“Australia is no foreigner to heatwaves, particularly at this time of the year. They are generally the most intense since we are in what is generally the warmest part of the year. Southeastern Australia experiences some of the most extreme heat waves of the continent, particularly when local rainfall has been low and the right synoptic conditions, a slow-moving or stationary high-pressure system, occur. This brings warm air from the centre of the continent to the region affected for a prolonged period of time.
Although it is too early to tell how extreme the forming heatwave will be, this heatwave is yet another in a spade of extreme temperature events Australia has been experiencing for well over 12 months, with 2013 being the hottest year on record. Heatwaves have also recently been experienced in Queensland and western Australia. Also, the past two summers have also been ”neutral” phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation phenomenon, when we expect average conditions. We usually expect to see hotter temperatures at higher frequencies during an El Nino phase, yet we’ve seen hot event after hot event when the modes of climate variability aren’t conducive to this.
So while we do expect to see heat waves over Australia at this time of year, the context in which they are currently occurring is concerning. Australia’s average temperature has warmed by 1°C due to human induced climate change, which is enough to increase the risk of the number and severity of extreme temperature events. While the current heatwave is just a single event, it is yet other link in the chain of a climatological shift towards more extreme temperature events, more often.”
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Dr Liz Hanna is a Fellow of the National Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health at the Australian National University, and President of the Climate and Health Alliance. She is also currently Director of an NHMRC Project: Working in the Heat – health risks and adaptation needs
“Yet another extreme heat event is upon us. With a warming planet, no longer are these rare events. So it is time that Australia got serious about heat and how we are going to manage these events.
Yes we have always had hot summers, but the broken temperature records show us that these are now more common, hotter, and they are lasting longer. We cannot assume we will be OK. It is the complacency that can kill. Most at risk are of course the very young, the elderly, and those with chronic health problems, such as cardiac or lung disease. People with mental health problems, and the socially isolated are also very vulnerable to heat.
The list does not stop there. In extreme conditions, the mere effort of moving generates heat that we need to shed in order to keep our body temperature within normal range. Shopping, cleaning, walking, exercising and of course working all increase our heat load. Heat extremes pose a serious health risk, and must be respected by taking precautions to avoid succumbing to heat stress. We do not want to see hundreds of people dying or presenting to hospital.
People need to minimise their exertion levels where possible, and do essential high-energy activities in the cooler parts of the day. The use of air-conditioning is strongly advised, dress in cool clothing that can breathe. The most important protective measure is hydration. Dehydration amplifies the risk of heat stress, and most people underestimate the amount of water they need to drink. As a rule of thumb, when it is very hot, drink twice the amount of water you might think you need.
Heat effects increase in a cascade of health symptoms of increasing severity. Everyone should know the early signs of heat stress, so they can provide assistance. Signs include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst, and heavy sweating. The skin can be cold and clammy. Loss of salt from sweating can produce cramping. Anyone showing these symptoms should be taken to a cool place, rested and given cold drinks (no alcohol). Hot dry skin is a dangerous sign. Confusion can lead to loss of consciousness, seizures and ultimately death, so these are a medical emergency, and must be treated in a hospital.
The temperatures inside a car can exceed 70oC, so children, the frail or pets must never be left in a car. Heat can and does kill, so it must be respected as a significant health threat, to everyone! The key health messages are to prevent heat stress by postponing exercise, doing lighter work, staying in the shade or cool environments, dressing appropriately, and remembering to drink, drink, drink. The second message is to be familiar with the danger signs, and look out for each other at work, at home, and in public places. All Australians must heed the summer health threat. Sporting event organisers and workplace managers have a duty of care to provide safe environments and protect human health against this known health risk.
The most powerful protection of human health from the ravages of heat is to prevent the world from warming. Governments must recognize their duty of care to current and future generations by turbo boosting the current lacklustre attempts to prevent the greenhouse disaster. Without rapid decarbonising our economy, a global health crisis will inevitably follow, and global conflict will exacerbate as millions seek to secure diminishing food and water supplies, and access to habitable climates zones.”
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