MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. — The Valley is on track to see more heat-associated deaths in 2023 than last year. In the past week, six new deaths were confirmed by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
The latest version of the county's Weekly Heat Report shows there have been 202 deaths associated with heat since the beginning of the year in Maricopa County. The total is up from 196 the week prior.
The latest version of the report updated the information with records from Sept. 3 to Sept. 9.
In addition to the confirmed deaths, the county is also reporting another 356 deaths are under investigation as possibly being associated with heat.
The report shows the number of heat-related deaths is tracking higher this year than compared to 2022.
During the same time period in 2022, there were 175 confirmed deaths and another 238 under investigation.
The first confirmed death associated with heat in the county for the year was on April 11.
The age group with the most heat-associated deaths was individuals aged 50-64.
Percentages of deaths based on age:
- Ages 0-4 - 0%
- Ages 5-19 -1%
- Ages 20-34 -13%
- Ages 35-49 - 21%
- Ages 50-64 -29%
- Ages 65-74 -20%
- Ages 75 and up - 15%
Arizona has seen record-breaking heat all summer long. Over the weekend, Phoenix recorded its 54th day of the year with temperatures reaching 110 degrees or higher.
On July 22, the city reached 119 degrees, a tie for the fourth-highest recorded temperature of all time in the city.
The entire report from the county can be read below.
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