Amid sweltering temperatures, Tucson records 26 heat-related deaths

The Tucson area has recorded 26 heat-related deaths so far this year, just two shy of the total heat-related deaths recorded for all of 2022.

According to data from the Pima County Medical Examiner’s Office, the majority of the deaths — 17 — occurred this month during record-breaking temperatures.

Dr. Greg Hess, a forensic pathologist and chief medical examiner for the county, expects the numbers will increase greatly at the beginning of August.

“There’s going to be quite a few more … I don’t know, a lot,” he said. “It’s almost like an overdose where you don’t get an instantaneous answer until you get data back from the lab, so there’s lag. We probably won’t know the full effect of this heat until the end of August.”

Most of those who succumbed to the heat were 60 years and older, the data shows.

The numbers do not include the deaths of migrants crossing the border.

Eight of the deaths this year were determined to be heat-caused, meaning environmental heat exposure was the primary cause of death.

“Heat-caused would be people that we think died simply because they got too hot, that’s hyperthermia,” Hess said.

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Of those who suffered heat-caused deaths, four were women, four were men. Four were in the age range of 60 to 69; three were 70 to 79; and one was 80 to 89.

The 18 remaining deaths were categorized as heat-contributed, meaning the heat was a significant factor but not the primary cause.

“Heat-contributed deaths might be someone, potentially it’s a homeless person in the park and there’s drug paraphernalia present. We might think the cause of death would be overdose but we think heat may have contributed,” Hess said.

In eight of those heat-contributed deaths, an overdose was the primary cause of death, while the remaining 10 were natural disease. Of the 18 people, two ranged in age from 30 to 39; four were ages 40 to 49; two were in the 50 to 59 age range; two were in the 60 to 69 range; four were 70 to 79; and the final four were 80 to 89.

As of this week, Tucson has topped 40 straight days of temperatures rising above 100 degrees.

Last year’s 28 heat deaths were up from seven in 2021 and 19 in 2020. Of the 84 cases recorded going back to 2017 in Pima County, the largest age group impacted was 80-89. Only two cases involved minors in the age ranges of 6 to 12 and 13 to 19.

Pima County’s Beat the Heat website shares tips on how to prevent heat-related illnesses, resources including where to find hydration stations and cooling centers, information for those experiencing power outages, tips for caregivers and more at pima.gov/2042/Beat-the-Heat.