Exploring solutions to Las Vegas’ heat crisis is a year-round pursuit

LHeat is responsible for more annual deaths than lightning, flash-flooding and other natural phenomena combined. The annual number of heat-related deaths has risen well into triple digits in recent years amid a consistent rise in temperatures brought on by climate change. And that’s not to mention heat illnesses, which outnumber deaths.

ast year, the city of Phoenix took a step toward addressing key ramifications of climate change by creating a first-of-its-kind office to provide relief from extreme heat. Called the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation, the new branch of the city government is an innovative approach to tackling an increasingly serious problem facing Southwestern cities. Led by Arizona State environmental sciences professor David Hondula, the office is tasked with creating and implementing a plan that is expected to involve such elements as tree-planting and construction of canopy structures to provide relief in unshaded areas, expansion of cooling centers and an increase in wellness checks of vulnerable residents.

Southern Nevada should consider following Phoenix’s lead and launching a similar office of its own.

As is the case in Phoenix, heat is by far the biggest weather threat in our region, both in terms of Las Vegans’ health and the quality of life in our community.

Everyone in Southern Nevada benefits economically if temperatures are brought down and heat islands are controlled: It means we use less power, pay fewer bills and reduce pollution that can cause health problems and lead to medical bills. Cooling off the valley is a virtuous cycle.

It’s also in our best economic interests to make our community a comfortable place to live for people at all income levels, including the working-class residents who form the backbone of our economy.

As is, extreme heat disproportionately affects lower-income areas, where residents suffer from less access to reliable air conditioning, less shading from trees and other vegetation, and higher population density than individuals in higher-income areas. These disparities were driven home in a recent study by researchers from the University of California, San Diego, showing that in the 1,000-plus counties that were included in the report, temperatures could be as much as 7 degrees hotter in poorer neighborhoods than in wealthier suburbs.

Think about that: When Las Vegas tied an all-time high of 117 degrees last summer, it might have been as hot as 124 in some poorly shaded neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, heat is responsible for more annual deaths than lightning, flash-flooding and other natural phenomena combined. The annual number of heat-related deaths has risen well into triple digits in recent years amid a consistent rise in temperatures brought on by climate change. And that’s not to mention heat illnesses, which outnumber deaths.

There’s no relief in sight from increasingly hotter summers, either, barring significant progress globally on addressing climate change. Stretches of temperatures above 110 are expected to grow in frequency and duration.

Considering the outlook, Las Vegas needs to establish a version of Phoenix’s office. Better yet, ours should be a regional entity that oversees heat mitigation in the same manner in which the Southern Nevada Water Authority handles water issues and the Regional Transportation Commission coordinates traffic planning and management.

Creating a cross-jurisdictional office on heat mitigation would also allow for integrated use of digital twin technology that is being used in at least one global capital, Singapore, to deal with extreme temperatures. This technology, which incorporates sensors placed across the city and connected to artificial intelligence, maps heat and winds, and the data are used by urban planners to help keep the city cool by focusing on urban design, landscaping and architecture to mitigate heat islands.

The citywide monitoring sensor technology is promising, but it must be regulated carefully and used transparently because it can also be abused. China proved this by using similar technology to monitor and suppress protesters in Hong Kong.

But if utilized for the beneficial purpose of reducing surface temperatures in urban heat domes, providing better access to cooling stations and so forth, the technology could do wonders for Las Vegas.

There’s not much that Las Vegas or any other community can do alone to head off the overall effects of climate change, as this will take a global effort. But we can take common-sense steps to keep people cool and protect them from health problems associated with extreme heat.

With Southern Nevada experiencing below-average temperatures in recent days, now might seem like an unusual time to talk about extreme heat. But addressing the effects of our blazing summertime temperatures should be a high priority 365 days per year, and adopting Phoenix’s approach would be a strong step forward.

As Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego put it, the goal of that city’s new office is to “build the vision of a cooler, more sustainable Phoenix.” That’s a need in the Las Vegas Valley as well.