The decade
the heat turned deadly.
323 deaths — a 62% surge. Pandemic reduced cooling center hours. Unsheltered population grew.
First year crossing 300.
645 deaths — deadliest year ever. 52% increase. 13 per day in July. 55 days at 110°F+.
608 deaths. Phoenix's hottest year ever.
over 100°F
Normal: 7 warm nights/yr. 2024: 39. The body couldn't recover.
44 consecutive days with a death. 355 lives in the streak.
First year the total went down. ARPA relief was working.
430 deaths — final count. Down from 608.
with a death
the streak
August
June 13 through September 5. Eighty-five days straight. Someone's last day, every day.
47% died on moderate heat risk days. Not during record-breaking heatwaves. On ordinary hot days in Phoenix.
Phoenix alone: 233 deaths.
430 is still more than every year before 2023.
The decline proves intervention works. ARPA heat relief was the intervention. All of it expires after 2026.
2024 Heat-Related Deaths Report
Where It Happens
77% of heat-related deaths occurred outdoors. 23% occurred indoors.
Of outdoor deaths, 66% happened in urban areas — not in the desert.
Top cities:
- Phoenix: 337 deaths
- Mesa: 55
- Unincorporated Maricopa County: 51
- Tempe: 27
- Glendale: 25
Indoor Deaths
Of the 138 people who died indoors, 88% had an air conditioning unit. 70% of those units were not functioning. 68% were discovered during welfare checks.
Source: MCDPH 2024 Final ReportWho Is Most Vulnerable
49% of heat-related deaths occurred among people experiencing homelessness — the largest proportion of any living situation.
After emergency shelter bed funding expired in Maricopa County, the unsheltered population increased 28%.
57% of all heat-related deaths involved substance use. Among those, 89% involved stimulants (methamphetamine, cocaine).
MCDPH 2024 Final Report Cronkite News: shelter dataNot Who You Think
72% of heat-related deaths were among people who had lived in Arizona for 20 or more years.
This is not a newcomer problem. Long-term residents know the heat. They die from it anyway — because knowledge doesn't replace access to cooling, water, and shelter.
78% were male. 60% were age 50 or older.
Source: MCDPH 2024 Final Reportthe number went down.
That's why Hydrate PHX exists.
March 18, 2026.
Phoenix hit 100°F.
The earliest ever recorded.
Three days in March reached 105°F.
Spring hadn't ended.
People treated for heat illness at a single event.
An airshow. In March.
April 10.
The first confirmed heat-related death of 2026.
The safety net that brought the number down?
It's about to disappear.
Heat Relief Resources
Maricopa County Cooling Centers
Cooling centers, hydration stations, relief sites across Maricopa County.
Open MAG Map →Statewide Heat Locations
All heat preparedness locations statewide across Arizona.
Open State Map →