PHOENIX — Arizona is no stranger to heat, and this year, we bested a previous heat record set in 1993 for the highest number of days with temperatures reaching 100 degrees or higher in a row.
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Wednesday, State 48 reached 80 consecutive days of triple-digit heat, beating its previous record of 76 days. Summer is showing no sign of easing up, and the projected 10-day forecast reveals another round of extreme heat, ranging from 109 to 111 degrees.
With that in mind, it’s important to remember the side effects of extreme heat exposure can be life-altering or deadly.
Last year, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health reported the highest number of heat-related deaths: 645 people died because of heat-related reasons, which is a 52% increase from 2022.
Officials believe 2024 could prove to be more deadly. As of August 7, the county reported 66 heat-related deaths this year, and 447 are under investigation. County data also revealed most of the heat-related deaths have been men at a rate of 67% and women recorded at 33%.
Heat-related deaths are not limited to exposure to outdoor temperatures. While Maricopa County reported 37% of the deaths mentioned were unhoused people, nearly a quarter of indoor heat deaths in the county were in mobile homes. Lack of proper cooling in mobile homes results in them becoming broiling tin cans in the blazing desert sun.
A recent Arizona law now requires mobile home parks to allow residents to make modifications to their cooling systems. Public health officials found 156 of the 645 heat-related deaths occurred indoors in uncooled homes.
Whether you are enduring the heat outdoors or indoors, there are useful tips and signs to look out for to prevent a heat-related illness.
Long-term exposure to extreme temperatures can lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion is different from heat stroke. Heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, which is more severe and if left untreated, can result in death.
There's also a heightened level of danger when a person stops sweating, feels cold and clammy, and becomes confused. Immediate care is necessary to prevent damage to your heart, kidneys, and brain.
The overall heat we are experiencing will likely not subside until late September, when summer comes to an end. Until then, residents and visitors are urged to prehydrate and hydrate relentlessly during the day.
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