On a cooler-than-normal Monday, Tucson officials discussed the dangers of extreme heat as part of a kickoff to Heat Awareness Week.
βTucson is a model for how local government can work with experts, nonprofits and community members to not only protect our most vulnerable, but to also build the resilience we need to adapt to an increasingly hot future,β Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said at a news conference downtown.
Mayor Regina Romero discusses the danger of extreme heat here during the kickoff to Tucsonβs second annual Heat Awareness Week, May 5 through May 9.
βOur efforts today are focused on adapting to rising temperatures and setting the groundwork for long-term solutions that will ensure a safer, cooler Tucson,β Romero said during the news conference also attended by Supervisor AndrΓ©s Cano and Dr. Theresa Cullen, Pima Countyβs public health director.
Tucson is among the fastest-warming cities in the United States, Romero noted in a news release.
Last year the Old Pueblo had 112 days reach at least 100 degrees, the most in any year recorded, according to the National Weather Service in Tucson. Also in 2024, the were 48 days in which the temperature was about 105 degrees, the third-most in a recorded year, according to the office.
See what today's weather forecast looks like in Tucson.
The city will continue developing βaccessible, multilingual messagingβ on the risks extreme heat as well as the resources available for residents. The effort will focus on reaching marginalized communities, according to a news release.
The city is also continuing its collaboration with the county and other local agencies to refine βearly warning systems and expanding the use of mobile cooling solutions that can be deployed to high-risk neighborhoods during extreme heat days,β the release said.
There were 107 heat-related deaths last year β and 146 if migrant deaths in the county are included. That means that heat was either the primary cause, or a βsignificant contributing factor to the death,β according to the Pima County Medical Examinerβs Office.
The were 111 deaths here directly caused by the heat, according to the office.
