The Pharmacy Guild of Australia said many people don\u2019t realise these medications can increase sun sensitivity, reduce heat tolerance or slow the body\u2019s ability to cool down.<\/p>\n
National President Professor Trent Twomey said community pharmacists are seeing more people caught out by heat-related reactions linked to medicines and urged Australians to take extra care.<\/p>\n
\u201cCommunity pharmacists are always available to provide advice on the safe storage of medicines, checking if medicines increase heat or sun sensitivity and helping to manage dehydration, heat stress or sunburn,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important for people to continue using their medicines, but take additional precautions in the heat and sun. A quick conversation with your pharmacist could prevent a serious reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n
The warning is especially important for older Australians, outdoor workers and anyone taking medicines affecting heat tolerance, with a brutal heatwave set to sweep across large parts of the country.<\/p>\n
![\"Extreme](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/46a66282ca37d0f56daf133521a3615b157ecbba-16x9-x0y0w1280h720.jpg\")
Extreme heatwave to hit southeastern states with temperatures reaching mid-40s. Credit: BOM![\"Some](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/f6fe32201fb44108b5d91e939f064c3cf3ab81a8-16x9-x0y104w800h450.jpg\")
Some medications may affect people during heatwaves. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n
Parts of Victoria, South Australia and NSW could see a week of over 40C days, including Dubbo, Port Augusta, Ivenhoe, Mildura, Broken Hill and Wentworth, as \u201csignificant and prolonged\u201d heatwave conditions begin to descend over large parts of the country.<\/p>\n
Heatwave warnings are currently for every state and territory in the country, except Tasmania, with the worst of the hot weather to peak next week for most places.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are seeing a significant and prolonged heatwave building over much of central and southeast Australia,\u201d meteorologist Jonathan How said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do have heatwave warnings current for much of South Australia and the country\u2019s interior, Victoria, inland New South Wales and southern inland Queensland and these will continue well into next week.\u201d<\/p>\n
How said the forecasters are expecting a run of 5 to 8 days of very hot days and nights starting from Saturday, with high 30C to low 40C on the coast and the mid to high 40C inland.<\/p>\n
![\"Parts](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/7ac2406e063fe9bdf4af8f3e6b55cdd50126e9b0-16x9-x0y0w1280h720.jpg\")
Parts of NSW, VIC and SA could see a week of over 40C weather. Credit: BOM<\/p>\n
Overnight temperatures are not expected to drop below 20C or even 30C degrees in some locations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe may even see some records being challenged or new records being set, particularly for northern Victoria, western New South Wales and southern inland Queensland,\u201d How said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo all of this heat is leading to severe to locally extreme heatwave conditions and this will be challenging for many people this long weekend and into next week.\u201d<\/p>\n
A dry cool change will move through South Australia, mostly along the coast, later on Saturday, before sweeping through Western Victoria and into Melbourne through the evening.<\/p>\n
This will drop temperatures back along the coast into Sunday morning. However, the reprieve is not expected to last long, with temperatures set to rise again into next week.<\/p>\n
South Australia<\/a> has entered a Code Red as Adelaide braces for 42C on Saturday, 36C on Sunday and a scorching 43C on the Australia Day public holiday.<\/p>\n The state\u2019s north is expected to climb even higher, breaking Australia Day<\/a> records as regional townships are set to hit 45C<\/p>\n Victoria<\/a> is also preparing for what could be its hottest spell in years, with temperatures expected to hit the 40s from Saturday. Tuesday is shaping up as the most severe day, with at least one northern town forecast to reach a staggering 48C \u2014 potentially breaking maximum temperature records.<\/p>\n Southern parts of the state may see brief relief from cool changes on Sunday and again on Tuesday evening, but northern regions could endure up to a week of sweltering heat.<\/p>\n No significant rainfall is expected for at least two weeks.<\/p>\n The extreme conditions<\/a> come less than a fortnight after catastrophic bushfires burned through more than 400,000 hectares of Victorian land, leaving authorities on edge.<\/p>\n Emergency services<\/a> in both states warn that the combination of heat, wind and dry fuel loads could create dangerous fire conditions across the long weekend.<\/p>\n The CFS and MFS have surged resources, including additional aircraft, ahead of what they say could be some of the most volatile fire weather in recent years.<\/p>\n An SA MFS spokesperson said January 24 is shaping up to be \u201cas serious as it gets\u201d, with the Yorke Peninsula and Eastern Eyre Peninsula both rated catastrophic and another eight districts sitting in the extreme category.<\/p>\n \u201cLast Sunday we saw the Tooperang fire burn 700 hectares very quickly under high fire danger \u2014 the conditions forecast are many times worse,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n Authorities say complacency could be deadly.<\/p>\n Residents in high\u2011risk areas are being urged to review their bushfire plans, check on vulnerable neighbours and prepare now as the heatwave intensifies.<\/p>\n![\"Firebans](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/91a4a24cebb2b7b739fe928851bbb61fb4f070dc-16x9-x0y150w800h450.jpg\")
Firebans are expected for parts of Victoria Credit: AAP<\/p>\n