MESA, AZ — Maricopa County's Heat Relief Network is closing its doors Wednesday after a summer that saw a dramatic spike in heat-related deaths across the Valley.
As of September 6, 629 deaths are under investigation in Maricopa County for being heat-related, a figure that is 48 percent higher than the same point a year ago. Of those, 150 have been confirmed as heat-related, with 72 of those deaths occurring in Phoenix.
The Heat Relief Network operated more than 200 locations across the county, offering residents a range of resources — from respite centers where people could sleep during the day to basic shelter and water bottle fill-up stations.
One location stood out above the rest: the 20 West Jackson Respite Center in Phoenix's Warehouse District. The overnight shelter welcomed more than 37,000 guests this summer, accounting for 67 percent of all visits to Heat Relief Network sites countywide. That concentration of visits at a single location raises questions about how accessible cooling resources truly are for Valley residents when temperatures surge.
One of the most troubling trends this summer: 34 percent of heat-related deaths happened indoors, in homes that may not have had air conditioning.
ABC15's Garrett Archer reported last week that more than half of the heat-related deaths in Maricopa County involved substance abuse.
The program's future is also uncertain. In late August, ABC15 reported that the county's $3 million in funding to support the Heat Relief Network was running out. While funding gaps have occurred before, local human services providers say the uncertainty makes it difficult to plan for the community's needs.
ABC15's Sean McDowell reported from the 20 West Jackson Respite Center in downtown Phoenix. Artificial intelligence was used to convert this broadcast script to a digital article. All content was reviewed and verified by ABC15 editorial staff.
