Maricopa County health officials have confirmed that just under half as many heat deaths have occurred in Arizona’s end of the summer period than last year.

According to the county’s heat dashboard, there have been 97 confirmed heat-related deaths in 2025 through Sept. 6. At this time last year, county officials had confirmed 177 heat-related deaths.

Another 406 deaths are currently under investigation to be heat-related, but it is unlikely the medical examiner will attribute them all to a heat-related event. Similar numbers were investigated last year, too.

Most of the heat-related deaths in 2025 have involved substances. The county has determined 62% of fatalities involved drugs, alcohol or medications and 48% of deaths were among unhoused people.

Will Humble, the executive director

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