As temperatures continue to rise, Maine is exposed in new ways to heat risk. What happens to workers who previously did not have to labor under high temperatures and humidity? What about infrastructure built decades ago, when heat concerns didn’t exist?
We also examine the effect on our natural world: on animal and plant species as the ecosystem continues to shift, the growth and spread of invasives, and changes to the food web for native species.
Maine Public’s Climate Desk and the Portland Press Herald teamed up this summer to tackle the growing issue of heat.
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The news organizations worked together to report on extreme heat in Maine and what's being done to prepare for dangerous temperatures in the future. -
Summertime in Maine can bring welcome sunshine and warmth. But under certain conditions, hot and humid weather can cause problems for the body: anything from minor muscle cramps and skin rashes to more serious issues like dizziness, vomiting, and seizures. -
As summer temperatures increase, more attention is focused on the danger of working in high heat. -
Even though Maine is known as a cold weather state, in recent years, hundreds of people have shown up in emergency rooms for heat-related illness. To offer relief, cooling centers are opening at libraries, fire stations, and community centers. -
Extremely dangerous heat is still unusual in Maine — but emergency officials across the state are already planning for a future where they’re responding to temperature spikes as silent natural disasters. -
Last summer was Maine's hottest on record and data show the state is getting hotter.
