New numbers from the Maricopa County Public Health Department show 66 people have died from heat this year and 447 deaths are currently under investigation.
While the number has dropped below 2023 levels for the same week, trendlines show heat deaths this year may still potentially surpass last year.
Of the 66 heat deaths, a little over half are classified as heat-caused, meaning heat was the main cause of the recorded death. Thirty were classified as heat being a contributing factor.
Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you!
Connect with us: share@abc15.com
According to the data, heat deaths have skyrocketed in the past decade. In the same week of 2014, there were nine confirmed heat deaths. Today’s 66 is seven times higher. Between 2014 and 2020, confirmed heat deaths by week 31 rarely rose above 20. The average for those six years is 14 heat deaths. For 2020 to 2024 the average is 54.
The County’s public health dashboard reports that 447 deaths are under investigation as either heat-caused or heat-contributed. It’s a lower figure compared to last year at this time when 511 were being investigated. When confirmed deaths are added, deaths are on track to be lower this year.
The data is slightly different when the final heat death figures from 2023 are considered. In week 31 of last year, 490 individuals had died from heat-related causes.
Some demographics are impacted more than others by heat deaths.
About one in three heat deaths occur in people between the ages of 35 and 49. Almost one in four are men. Slightly over half are white non-Hispanic. 60% of heat deaths involve some sort of drug use. Half of heat deaths occur in the unhoused population.
If you or someone you know needs heat relief from our temperatures, you can find a map with Valley heat relief stations on the Maricopa Association of Governments website.
