In remote Australia, First Nations communities battle extreme heat each summer.
In January 2026 alone, the town of Alice Springs (Mparntwe) endured 20 days of temperatures above 40°C. This prolonged heatwave – defined as a period of unusually hot weather – can have long-standing effects on human health, infrastructure and the environment.
In remote communities, many homes trap heat. This is because houses are not typically designed for local climate conditions. Frequent power shortages and a lack of repair services leave these communities even more exposed.
In our new study, we spoke with 30 First Nations people about how extended periods of extreme heat affect them. We did this by holding one-on-one yarning sessions in four remote Central Australian communities.
The participants shared many valuable insights, which may also help our larger towns and cities adapt to rising temperatures.
Climate change is making extreme heat more frequent and intense across the country. Since records began in 1910, Australia has warmed by about 1.5°C.
The First Nations community members involved in our study told us extreme heat affected nearly every aspect of daily life, in the warmer months.
Participants commonly experienced symptoms of extreme heat exposure, such as headaches, dehydration, exhaustion, poor sleep and feeling agitated.
Participants also said it was difficult to spend time outdoors, visit family or access essential services if their only option was to walk.
In the summer, can’t go out anywhere or go, visit families, it’s too hot.
Participants were particularly concerned about how older people, children, pregnant women and people who were already unwell coped in such hot conditions.
Importantly, participants emphasised the need for improved infrastructure to beat the heat. A lack of reliable power, effective cooling systems and homes designed for extreme heat reduced their ability to keep cool. This also made it harder to safely store food and medicines.
Many remote First Nations communities endure extreme heat.Manoj Bhatta
Communities are already coping
Despite these challenges, remote First Nations communities are already coping with extreme heat, in three main ways.
by rescheduling daily activities to cooler morning and evening hours, for example swimming in waterholes during the hottest part of the day or sleeping outside at night when houses are unbearably hot
sharing resources, for example freeing up fridge space to let others store their food or meeting in community buildings with cooling systems
staying informed about the weather, including by listening to local radio, council and health service updates, as well as Elders with traditional knowledge about weather patterns. Here’s what one Elder shared about the constellation known as the “Seven Sisters”:
If it’s northeast in the sky, that means it’s going to be a long hot summer. But if it’s northwest it’s going to be not so hot, it’s going to be cooler.
However, there are limits to how much remote communities should have to adapt on their own.
Many extreme heat adaptation strategies require reliable access to housing, electricity, shade, water and transport. Without these, staying safe during extreme heat becomes much harder.
However, research shows First Nations communities have long lived with poorer housing, infrastructure and health care, due to the effects of colonialism and other discriminatory policies. And climate change is only exacerbating these deep-rooted inequalities.
The First Nations communities we visited stressed the need for more investment in locally-designed housing, shaded community spaces and timely repair services.
While it’s cold weather, they should be servicing every air conditioner, in every community, before the summer come up and everybody’s ready to go
Community members also called for improved public transport, especially for those needing to travel into town for health appointments.
The participants also highlighted the need to educate communities about how heat impacts health. Key to this is providing information in local languages to help people recognise symptoms of heat-related illness – such as dizziness, headaches, dehydration and heat exhaustion – and learn strategies to keep cool.
Participants also emphasised the importance of involving the community in designing and delivering adaptation strategies. This ensures any solutions meet each community’s needs, drawing on its local knowledge and cultural practices.
As the climate changes, temperatures in our towns and cities will only keep rising. However, remote First Nations communities are already finding innovative ways to cope with extreme heat. If we listen to and learn from them, we may discover more effective ways of beating the heat.
Manoj Bhatta is a postdoctoral researcher with the Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) Network at the Menzies School of Health Research, based in Alice Springs. HEAL is a national research network funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Supriya Mathew receives funding from the Medical Research Future Fund, National Health and Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust.
Gloria Baliva does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
While birds are the most likely victims of the deadly strain of bird flu, researchers are also sounding the alarm for native mammals and marsupial species. These are some of the steps being taken to protect them.
The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has now been found in a second state, South Australia, after earlier being identified in Western Australia.
Authorities have confirmed three seabirds have died of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus. It is too early to know if H5N1 has spread beyond these animals to other wildlife or livestock in Australia. But it appears very much a matter of when, not if, this happens.
Globally, H5N1 has already devastated wildlife populations. In Australia, this deadly virus could greatly disrupt ecosystems and push our most threatened species even closer to extinction.
Why is H5N1 so dangerous?
The H5N1 strain of bird flu spreads through contact with bodily fluids such as saliva and faeces, infected animals or contaminated environments. It can also be transmitted through scavenging by species that feed on infected carcasses.
Since 2021, the H5N1 strain has killed millions of the world’s wild birds, mammals and poultry. This is because it can spread faster than other HPAI strains – including between mammals – and move between continents via migratory birds.
However, it’s hard to predict how H5N1 will affect our wildlife and ecosystems. This strain of the virus is not yet established in Australia. And many of our species are endemic – meaning they’re not found anywhere outside Australia – so we don’t have the data needed to reliably predict how H5N1 may affect them.
For threatened species, an H5N1 outbreak could be catastrophic. And a mass mortality event could be the final straw that finishes off a species. This is especially true if a population is already in decline, is geographically restricted or gathers to breed during certain seasons.
After the initial outbreak passes, populations may rebound through breeding and immigration. However, an extreme drop in numbers can create a genetic bottleneck, leading to rapid, substantial loss of genetic diversity. This, in turn, can threaten a population’s long-term health.
Since detecting H5N1 in Australia, authorities have understandably focused on protecting Australia’s spectacular birds – including the threatened regent honeyeater and orange-bellied parrot.
What’s received less attention are our iconic but increasingly threatened mammals. This includes the egg-laying platypus, native rodents such as the rakali and numerous marsupial species. In the United States, the virus has already done widespread damage to native rodents such as squirrels and voles, and the marsupial Virginia Opossum. It may well do the same to Australia’s mammals.
Carnivorous marsupials such as endangered Tasmanian devils and quoll species are also at risk, as their hunting and scavenging may expose them to infected carcasses.
Kangaroos, wallabies, possums and bandicoots can also scavenge and eat meat, meaning they could come in contact with H5N1. Species that live near shore birds in coastal and island habitats – including endangered mainland eastern barred bandicoots and threatened quokkas – are even more at risk.
The H5N1 strain could also prove deadly to our Australian sea lion and black swan populations. Black swans appear particularly susceptible to H5N1, which may be because they evolved in the isolated island continent of Australia. Unlike other swan species, they lack certain genetic traits that might help their immune systems fight the H5N1 virus.
Long-term damage to ecosystems
Beyond individual species, H5N1 has the potential to greatly disrupt and devastate Australia’s ecosystems.
An H5N1 outbreak in predator species could see prey populations surge. If a local dingo population is wiped out by the virus, the kangaroos, wallabies, feral goats and other herbivores they prey on could rapidly increase in numbers. This could lead to overgrazing, which in turn would deprive other animals of food and shelter.
In freshwater and marine environments, an H5N1 outbreak could see many birds die in and around waterways in a short period. Nutrients from the bird carcasses could pollute waterways if not cleaned up, worsening water quality and oxygen levels and potentially causing widespread fish kills.
Compared to other countries and continents, Australia has had longer to prepare for an H5N1 outbreak.
The federal government has so far invested A$113 million to bolster our H5N1 response. This money will go towards disease surveillance, invasive species control, captive breeding programs and efforts to monitor wildlife health.
But we can also help stop the spread of H5N1 on an individual level by:
only feeding birds in backyards, never in the wild, and following strict hygiene measures such as cleaning water baths weekly and opting for hanging bird feeders
keeping dogs and cats away from wildlife, animal faeces and especially dead carcasses.
The arrival of H5N1 in Australia is not cause for panic, as this outbreak is yet to unfold. But we must be extra vigilant in how we observe and interact with wildlife and nature. The future of our most vulnerable species depends on it.
Euan Ritchie receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action. Euan is a Councillor with the Biodiversity Council, a member of the Ecological Society of Australia and the Australian Mammal Society, and President and Fellow of the Australian Mammal Society.
