Death toll from Oregon heatwave continues to rise

What happens: Following last week’s record-breaking heat wave, reports of deaths authorities believe were caused by extreme heat continue to pour in in Oregon. The Oregon State Medical Examiner reported two more deaths Friday morning, bringing the death toll from the July 2024 heat wave to 16.

Why it is important: Climate change is warming Oregon, threatening lives in a state where many people have historically lacked air conditioning.

In numbers: The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office notes that the suspected heat-related deaths reported so far remain under investigation and these numbers may change:

• Multnomah County: Seven people have died, including a 33-year-old from Clackamas County who died after being admitted to a Portland hospital. The other six were all 62 or older.
• Washington County: Three people have died, all 73 years or older.
• District of Linn: A 56-year-old man has died.
• Jackson County: Two men in their mid-50s have died.
• Coos County: A 33-year-old man has died.
• Douglas County: A man and a woman have died, both in their mid-70s.

The background story: An extreme heat wave in 2021 killed nearly 100 people in Oregon. Since then, state and local governments have made a concerted effort to increase access to air-conditioned spaces in homes and open more cooling centers on hot days. But temperatures continue to rise. State climatologist Larry O’Neill says summer is getting hotter earlier, and Oregon has broken hundreds of records this year.

What’s next: Although it has cooled down in Western Oregon, a heat warning remains in effect across much of Southern and Southeastern Oregon through Saturday evening.

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