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3 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> PROCLAMATION <br /> HEAT AWARENESS WEEK <br /> May 18-22, 2026 <br /> WHEREAS, extreme heat is known to significantly impact health through heat-related <br /> illness or death and worsening of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and <br /> cerebrovascular disease; and <br /> WHEREAS, heat season starts in Orange County in June and the greatest health risks <br /> occur in the first weeks of the heat season as people's bodies adjust to the heat; and <br /> WHEREAS, in 2025, the National Weather Service issued twelve (12) Heat Advisories, <br /> two (2) Excessive Heat Warnings, and two (2) Excessive Heat Watches in Orange <br /> County; and <br /> WHEREAS, climate change is responsible for more frequent and severe heat waves and <br /> this warming trend is expected to continue; and <br /> WHEREAS, between 1983 and 2014, on average, Orange County experienced <br /> temperatures greater than 95 degrees on eight (8) days per year and by the 2060s, <br /> Orange County will likely experience these high temperatures on 28-41 days per year; <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County and other North Carolina communities, both urban and rural, <br /> now have more nights with temperatures that do not go below 70 degrees, and the risk <br /> of heat-related illness and death increases when temperatures stay high overnight; and <br /> WHEREAS, heat-related illnesses can affect anyone, regardless of age or physical <br /> condition, disproportionately affecting infants and children, pregnant women, older adults, <br /> outdoor workers, athletes, low-income individuals who are more likely to live in locations <br /> without easy access to air conditioning, and people with underlying health conditions; and <br /> WHEREAS, summer temperatures in urban heat islands in Orange County can be up to <br /> eleven (11) degrees warmer than surrounding areas and these urban heat islands are <br /> located in low income, communities of color that have fewer trees and more pavement; <br /> and <br /> WHEREAS, heat-related illnesses are preventable, and monitoring and minimizing the <br /> health risks associated with heat is a shared responsibility; and <br /> WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina has recognized heat as an important threat to the <br /> health and well-being of residents and has collaborated with scientists, health experts, <br /> and community leaders to develop heat resilience resources; and <br />