A dangerously hot summer is unfolding in the U.S. West, with heat suspected in numerous recent deaths across several states. The toll from the scorching temperatures is uncertain due to varying methods used by jurisdictions to calculate heat-related deaths. Investigations of suspected heat-related fatalities can take months, leading to delays in confirming the exact number of deaths during the recent heatwave that began on July 1.
Record-breaking high temperatures have been recorded in several western states, with cities like Palm Springs, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, experiencing their all-time highest temperatures. The extreme heat has resulted in tragic deaths, including retirees in Oregon, a motorcyclist in Death Valley, California, and a 10-year-old boy in Phoenix, Arizona.
