Maricopa County still on pace to surpass 600 heat deaths in 2024

The Valley may fall short of last year's grim record of 645 heat deaths, but the numbers this summer aren't much more promising.

By Morgan Fischer

September 5, 2024

Last year, 645 people in Maricopa County died of heat-related illnesses. The Valley will come close to that number in 2024. maliciousmonkey via Flickr

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Amid a record-breaking summer in Maricopa County, the number of heat-related deaths more than doubled from July to August, according to county health department data. So far, a whopping 177 people have died from the heat this year.

However, the county is on track to fall short of last year’s ghastly record of 645 heat-related deaths.

A month ago, 66 people had died of heat-related causes in Maricopa County, with another 447 suspected heat deaths under investigation. The county’s death toll jumped in August because many of those suspected heat deaths were confirmed. There are still 436 suspected heat deaths under investigation.

By this time last year, Maricopa County had confirmed 194 heat-related deaths with another 493 under investigation. But even if the summer of 2024 won’t be as deadly as its predecessor, Maricopa County is still on pace for a grim total of 613 heat-related deaths this year.

While the county didn’t experience a full month of highs above 110 degrees like it did in July 2023, the Valley’s heat has been especially persistent this year. Phoenix experienced its hottest June ever with an average temperature of 97 degrees, followed by its second-hottest July (101.1 degrees) and third-hottest August (98.7 degrees).

Earlier this week, Phoenix experienced its 100th consecutive day of 100-degree weather, according to the National Weather Service. Phoenix also has endured 54 days of 110 degrees or higher this year, the most such days the city has suffered through Sept. 3 in the last 20 years.

That heat has exacted a brutal toll on Maricopa County’s homeless population, which has accounted for 47% of the county’s heat-related deaths. Drugs were involved in 58% of heat-related deaths.

The county’s unhoused population, which neared 10,000 in the most recent count, has become more spread out after last year’s forced closure of the sprawling Phoenix encampment known as The Zone. To stem the tide of heat deaths, Phoenix officials expanded the operating hours at cooling centers, where people can shelter from the heat. Two cooling centers were turned into overnight facilities.

The heat isn’t abating anytime soon, as Phoenix isn’t expected to experience its last 100-degree day of the year until Oct. 5. As temperatures stay high, Maricopa County’s death toll will only rise.

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Morgan Fischer joined Phoenix New Times as a staff writer in July 2024, covering all things Phoenix and Arizona news. Before joining New Times, Morgan has worked as a national politics intern at The Arizona Republic and as a reporter for News21, among other positions. She holds degrees in journalism and mass communication and political science from Arizona State University, where she also attended Barrett, The Honors College.

Contact: Morgan Fischer