In Arizona, triple-digit temperatures can start to feel routine. We joke about oven-hot cars, avoiding metal seatbelts and running from one air-conditioned building to another, but numbers like these show how serious the heat can become. Maricopa County has confirmed 40 lives lost to heat so far in 2026, more than double the 17 reported at this point last year.| County data shows 78% of those affected were men. Substance use was listed as a factor in 65% of cases, while 33% involved someone experiencing homelessness. The confirmed total may still rise because determining whether heat was a factor can take two to three months. Maricopa County recorded 430 lives lost to heat in 2025, following 608 in 2024 and a record 645 in 2023. Whether someone is working outside, waiting at a bus stop, living without reliable air conditioning or simply underestimating another Arizona summer day, the heat can affect people faster than many realize. Check on your neighbors and loved ones, especially...