SACRAMENTO – With summer around the corner and temperatures expected to soar to record highs， California is taking new actions to protect communities from extreme heat – the number one cause of weather-related deaths in the state. 

Governor Gavin Newsom on May 29 announced the launch of CalHeatScore, a cutting-edge tool to forecast and rank heat severity risks and connect Californians with available resources to stay safe during extreme heat events. With CalHeatScore, California becomes the first state in the nation – and one of the only jurisdictions in the world – to launch a heat-ranking system.

CalHeatScore, developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), brings together ZIP-code level data to provide locally tailored guidance. The tool identifies groups most susceptible to extreme heat – such as older adults and children – and provides tips for staying safe, such as how to recognize signs of heat illness. The tool additionally integrates other important data sets, like locations for the nearest cooling centers.

Governor Newsom additionally announced $32.4 million to support 47 California communities in lifesaving extreme heat mitigation efforts. The Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program aims to support local, tribal, and regional efforts to combat dangerous heat exposure by building long-lasting infrastructure solutions and strengthening community resilience needed to withstand extreme heat events.