The number of extremely hot days is increasing and, with more intense heat to come over summer, it is important to understand how you can stay safe.
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Heatwaves claim more lives than any other natural disaster in Australia.
At least 473 heat-related deaths were reported between 2001 and 2018 - 354 of these during heatwave conditions.
More than half - 244 - of the deaths were recorded in buildings, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
And nearly two thirds of all these fatalities occurred in the significant heatwave years of 2009 and 2014.
The elderly, babies, young children and people with disabilities or chronic health conditions are more likely to experience severe adverse effects from prolonged periods of heat.
There's an app for that
Now a new app will help people track their own heat health risk.
The app, designed at the University of Sydney's Heat and Health Research Incubator, allows users to generate individual heat risk assessments.
Profiles can also be created for family members.
"The seven-day forecast function helps people plan their week and make smart decisions," incubator director Ollie Jay said.
"For example, an older person might put off a trip to the grocery store until later in the day when conditions are less extreme or young adults might delay a kick around at the park," he said in a statement.
The app is free to use and incorporates open source weather data to assess heat conditions according to the location set on the user's device.
Just add water and ice
But technology is not always there to help.
At Oodnadatta in outback South Australia, where temperatures have been recorded as high as 50.7 degrees Celsius, it's hard to beat the heat.
Jennifer Mathews, the co-owner of Oodnadatta's roadhouse, said air conditioning was essential for life in one of Australia's hottest towns.
"Everybody has air con. Some of them are only old rattlers," she said.
But it was easier to stay cool now the town had its own desalination plant.
"We just encourage everybody to drink water and, now that our water's good, it's a lot cheaper for people because before ...everyone had to buy water," Ms Matthews said.
Sometimes the only solution was water and ice.
"We drove from Coober Pedy 200 ks last Friday and it was 47 degrees and we didn't have any air con in the car.
"So I had a bucket with a bag of ice between my legs and we just kept putting ice on ourselves - because it's a dirt road from Coober to here."
Air-conditioned shopping centres and libraries also act as "heat refuges" over summer.
What are the signs of heat stroke?
Heat stroke occurs when your body temperature rises to a dangerous level.
NSW Health says signs include confusion, slurred speech, twitching or seizures, profuse sweating or hot, dry skin, rapid breaths, and even loss of consciousness.
You should get into a cooler or shaded area, lie down and elevate your feet and use any means to cool down, such as water spray, a damp cloth, wet clothes, a cool shower, or ice packs.
You should also take small sips of water if you can.
What about heat exhaustion?
Heat exhaustion is caused by a loss of water and salt in hot weather, often through exercise or sweating.
Pale skin, headaches, nausea, dizziness, weakness, thirst, cramps and even vomiting or fainting are signs.
You need to act fast, NSW Health says.
Drink water, get to a cooler area in shade or indoors, remove or loosen clothing and try to cool down with water sprays, cold showers, or damp towels.
What to do in an emergency
Of course, seek medical help if the symptoms don't improve or there is a risk of heat stroke. Call 000 in an emergency.
