Fighting extreme heat in 2026

1A | Jul 23

Extreme heat isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s a growing public health threat.

More than 40 million people across the U.S. have remained under heat alerts this month. Heat remains the deadliest extreme weather event in the United States. At least 44 people have died as a result of July heatwaves. And in Europe, heatwaves killed more than 10,000 people in June, according to health data published this month.

Climate change is making heatwaves hotter and more frequent. And high temps aren’t just being reported in daytime. Nighttime temperatures are higher than ever. And scientists say that’s raising the risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke – and taking away crucial time for you and the planet to recover.

What do you need to know about the effects of heat on your health? And how you can stay safe?

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