There are concerns more Australians are at risk of heat-related injuries as people struggle to cope with the cost of living crisis.

It’s the first week of summer and Chris Burns says he can’t fill his refrigerator with bottled water fast enough.

The chief executive of the Hutt St Centre, an Adelaide homelessness service, said when heatwaves hit, his facility becomes a refuge for homeless people looking to escape the scorching temperatures.

With forecasts predicting warmer than average temperatures in the coming months, Burns is preparing to support some of the city’s most vulnerable residents during this extreme weather event.

“We are urgently planning how we can stay open later, how can we organize shifts, how can we manage this increased capacity of demand, because we don’t want to turn anyone away.”

The Australian Council of Social Services says heatwaves kill more Australians than any other natural disaster, including bushfires, cyclones and floods.

It is estimated that approximately 36,000 heat-related deaths occurred between 2006 and 2017.

This means that on average, this weather event has claimed 3,272 lives per year, although it typically only occurs during the summer months.

But Mr Burns fears more Australians could be at risk this year as the cost of living crisis has driven up energy bills and forced more people out of the rental market.

“Over the last 12 months we have seen a 30 per cent increase in demand for our services,” he said.

“Rather than paying for electricity to air-condition their house, they will come to us.”

Longer and more frequent heat

Bureau of Meteorology modeling predicts warmer-than-average daytime and nighttime temperatures across the country this summer.

Parts of Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia and New South Wales have already suffered heatwaves in the past month.

Ms Minney said the weather event is defined as three or more days of high maximum or minimum temperatures relative to the local climate.

“A heatwave will be different in Darwin than in Melbourne or Adelaide,” she said.

“With the trend of increasing temperatures, we expect summers to be warmer than average more often than not, including those record-breaking summers that will occur more frequently in the future.

“Very vulnerable” cities

A recently released report by think tank The Australia Institute shows South Australia is the second most vulnerable state and territory to extreme heat, behind the Northern Territory.

Extreme Heat Vulnerability Report Finds 57% of State Classified as “Highly Vulnerable” Due to High Numbers of Residents Experiencing Poverty, Long-Term Illness and Aged Over 65 .

“Vulnerable groups may lack adequate access to cooling facilities, suffer from chronic health conditions exacerbated by heat, or face socio-economic barriers,” the report said.

The report reveals Port Pirie, Whyalla and Port Augusta were considered the three most high-risk locations.

In Greater Adelaide, 57 per cent of sites were considered very vulnerable, with the northern suburbs of particular concern.

“This area is inland, has sparse tree cover and a large number of buildings, which can exacerbate the effects of extreme heat on vulnerable people,” the report notes.

“In contrast, South Adelaide is the part of the city least vulnerable to extreme heat.

“It’s close to the coast and has better forest cover, which helps keep temperatures low.”

It’s not a “typical Australian summer”

With vulnerable Australians most at risk from the threat of extreme heat, state emergency services warn everyone can be affected.

“Even if you’re normally fit and healthy, an extreme heatwave if you don’t heed the warnings… can affect you (and) make you very ill and we see this every year,” Dr Sara Pullford, from the SA SES, said.

Dr Pullford said it was a mistake to regard a series of hot days as “perfectly normal” summer weather.

“A series of hot days and nights can have serious consequences on our bodies and our lives,” she said.