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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 2841 ;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 />