With Arizona experiencing its first 100-degree day on March 19, learn how to avoid heat-related illness.

3 Takeaways:

• Nearly 430 people died from heat-related causes in Maricopa County in 2025.
• Forty-five percent of Arizona’s 977 heat-related deaths in 2024 occurred in July.
• Watermelon, strawberries and other melons are great additions to a person’s diet to help beat the heat. 

Whether we’re ready for it or not, the hot Arizona weather has made its way here, setting the stage early for another nine months or so of triple-digit daytime temperatures. 

Though some of us are used to the heat, long stretches of days reaching temperatures over 100 degrees can still take a toll on our bodies. 

According to a report by the Arizona Department of Health Services, in 2024 there were 977 deaths throughout Arizona that were attributable to extreme heat. More than half of those people had lived in the state for 20 years or longer. 

Most of the heat-related deaths in 2024 occurred during the summer, with 45% of deaths occurring in July alone. In 2025, Maricopa County saw 427 heat-related deaths.

Statistics like these are heartbreaking and eye-opening; however, locally and nationally, resources, organizations and tools can help people beat the heat. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention operates a special website at www.heat.gov that offers the HeatRisk Dashboard, which gives current heat and air-quality data by zip code. The tool provides users with an interactive map of heat advisories and warnings as well as a seven-day forecast, with a heat index ranging from little/none to extreme heat. 

To protect your health during extreme heat—whether you are indoors or outdoors—the American Red Cross suggests individuals hydrate frequently, drinking about three-quarters of a gallon of water daily (96 ounces). Everyone’s hydration needs vary; an easy way to check hydration level is to look at the color of urine. Dark yellow means is the urine is concentrated due to a lack of water, while light yellow to clear urine generally means a person is well hydrated. 

When it comes to other beverages, try to limit intake of sugary, caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. The athletes who enjoy a good sweat out on the ballfields during the summer months should drink ample amounts of water and a sports drink to replace the minerals lost due to sweating. 

Eating snacks such as watermelon, cucumber, strawberries and oranges can also aid in fluid replenishment. Watermelons and other melons are over 90% water and are considered excellent for staying hydrated. 

Peanut butter on celery, the popular schooltime treat, is another snack that can help a person stay cool and hydrated. 

Greasy and high-fat foods, such as cheeseburgers with French fries, can add additional heat to a person’s body temperature when outside. High-fat foods also negatively impact digestion and can cause inflammation, which results in a sluggish feeling. 

In the coming months, the Salt River Community Emergency Response Team (SR-CERT) will be authorizing Community cooling centers to be set up in several areas and departments throughout the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The centers are for individuals who feel they need some relief away from the hot temperatures. Official cooling center locations and times will be provided soon.