00:00Chris Burns is stocking up for the sweltering months ahead.
00:06The CEO of a homeless support organisation in Adelaide says when heatwaves strike, his
00:13centre becomes a refuge for the city's rough sleepers.
00:17We anticipate we will hit near the limits of our capacity over summer.
00:21The rising cost of living and housing shortages has seen demand for support increase 30% over
00:27the past year, meaning more Australians are struggling to keep themselves cool during
00:32extreme weather.
00:34Rather than pay the power to have their home air-conditioned, they'll come to us.
00:37But also if they come to us, they save on groceries because they get to have a meal.
00:42The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast warmer-than-average day and night temperatures across the country
00:48this summer.
00:50Parts of Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and New South Wales have
00:54already experienced heatwaves, a trend which experts say will likely continue into the
01:00future.
01:01We would expect summers to be warmer-than-average more often than not, including being in those
01:09record summers.
01:10With these warmer temperatures, we would expect there to be longer and more frequent heatwaves.
01:16A new report from the Australia Institute has found South Australia is the second most
01:21vulnerable state or territory to the effects of extreme heat behind the Northern Territory.
01:28Port Pirie, Waiyala and Port Augusta are the highest risk areas, with more residents grappling
01:34with poverty, age and long-term illness.
01:37While the report found vulnerable Australians are most at risk to the effects of extreme
01:42heat, the state's emergency services are warning young people in particular not to downplay
01:48and ignore the signs of physical stress.
01:51We all know that it's really hard to sleep if it's really hot at night and that in turn
01:57means that we're tired, we're perhaps a little bit less inclined to pay attention to what
02:02we're doing and so accidents can happen.
02:05On alert for a summer of extremes.
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