GLENDALE — Excessive heat is being felt by just about every Valley resident this month.
According to Climate Central, about 80% of Americans live in cities, such as Glendale, where the urban heat island effect can worsen heat extremes.
Heat islands are urbanized areas experiencing higher temperatures than outlying areas.
"The heat island is very much a live issue. It is the most important issue, as of today, for us,” said Shahid Abbas.
Abbas, Glendale's Director of Transportation, is working to help make the city cooler.
"Our temperatures could be anywhere up to 20 degrees higher than if we move to rural and suburban areas,” said Abbas.
This week, city employees installed trees and shrubs around town as part of an $8 million heat mitigation program.
"In studies, they have found, where we have trees and vegetation, the temperature could be 20-45 degrees lesser than environments which lack proper landscaping,” said Abbas.
Each year, Glendale plants about 1,000 and nearly 30,000 shrubs. Abbas estimates about 30 more linear miles of Glendale need heat mitigation.
"So, 30 miles of land is a large number for us, you know? So, we plant trees after every 50 feet,” added Abbas.
The city's heat mitigation initiative also includes water harvesting features on and around the roadway which gather the water and send it elsewhere.
"The water infiltrates slowly into the ground. That helps us keep our vegetation flourishing using less water,” said Abbas.
Another step is moving away from the traditional black-top asphalt to a lighter one and permeable pavement that lowers the surface temperatures by 6%.
A huge part of heat mitigation focuses on things outside. But, Abbas says what happens inside plays a part too. That's one reason some city buildings like city hall are being renovated.
"We have an open concept which will drive the cool air at night inside the building and retain the cool air during the morning,” said Abbas.
