Arizona cities, environmental advocates and businesses are teaming up to combat extreme heat by launching a variety of tree-planting initiatives. Cronkite News reports some cities hope to motivate residents to join the effort by providing free trees and planting resources.
In 2021, Phoenix established the nation’s first publicly funded Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, creating a four-person team to develop a strategic plan to combat urban heat and its associated health risks
Fatalities from extreme heat have spiked in recent years. According to a report from the Arizona Department of Health Services, 835 people died from heat-caused and heat-related deaths in 2020, nearly double over the previous year.
Some cities like Mesa, are working to expand the "tree canopy", planting an abundance of trees to create more shade. Mesa's goal is to increase the number of trees by 25% by the year 2030.
Maricopa County – the fastest-growing county in the nation and home to one of the hottest cities in the U.S. – Phoenix - had a record number of heat-associated deaths in 2022, according to the county Public Health Department.