Less than a year ago, dozens of volunteers set out to collect data about heat in Reno and Sparks. The Reno-Sparks Heat Mapping Project, completed on August 10, resulted in a map showing temperature differences across the area surveyed. But mapping, as Deputy State Climatologist Tom Albright said, is just the first step.
Together with agencies from across the Reno-Sparks area, the Nevada State Climate Office hosted the Northern Nevada Heat Summit, designed to share information and resources, discuss uses for the map, provide networking opportunities and create an environment for fruitful discussion about how the region can prepare for, adapt to and mitigate heat.
The agenda for the day included presentations from the Nevada State Climate Office, the Desert Research Institute and Nevada Heat Lab, Washoe County and Northern Nevada Public Health, followed by a panel discussion with the speakers. A coffee break allowed for continued discussion and networking, then attendees broke out into groups to discuss various topics including heat response and resilience, data science and more. Finally, the group discussed future directions, including the formation of a standing committee to continue the conversation and propose avenues for action. The presentations and panel discussion were also shared with a virtual audience who were unable to attend in person.
Reno is the fastest-warming city in the U.S. followed by Las Vegas. With the recent passage of Assembly Bill 96, which requires counties in Nevada with more than 100,000 residents (Clark County and Washoe County are the two counties currently meeting that criterium) to include heat mitigation efforts in their strategic plans, increased collaboration across the state will be key for protecting Nevadans.
