Heat death toll at five, expected to rise

The current spell of hot weather gripping the Las Vegas Valley has increased the number of heat-related deaths for the year to five, and authorities say that toll probably will continue to climb before temperature relief arrives next week.

The heat-related deaths were reported Thursday by the Clark County coroner’s office, which said they occurred between June 6 and Tuesday — the day

Las Vegas tied its record high of 117. It said several more deaths are likely to be classified as heat-related once autopsy results are finalized.

The coroner’s office said the people who had died from exposure this year were all between 49 and 69 years old.

In 2016, the coroner’s office reported eight heat-related deaths in the same time frame and 91 for the year. The average age of people who died from exposure last year was 65.

HEAT

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service on Thursday extended its excessive heat warning through Monday.

Meteorologist Chelsea Kryston said highs are expected to be 112 degrees on Friday, 113 on Saturday, 112 on Sunday and 111 on Monday.

After Monday highs should fall shy of the 110-degree mark the rest of the week, the weather service said, signaling an end to a heat wave.

The normal high temperature for this time of year is about 100 degrees, Kryston said.

Clark County’s Department of Air Quality has issued an air advisory for Thursday. The Halcomb fire near Big Bear in Southern California might elevate levels of ozone and smoke in the valley, the department said.

Vulnerable members of the population, including young children and senior citizens, should take extra precautions to avoid breathing in particulate matter, the department said. Smoke and ozone might aggravate

medical conditions, or produce coughing and shortness of breath in otherwise healthy people.

The department suggests staying indoors when smoke is present and to schedule activities in the morning

when ozone is typically lower.

Contact Rachel Hershkovitz at rhershkovitz@reviewjournal. com or 702-383-0381. Follow @ rzhershkovitz on Twitter.