Urban Spaces for an Overheated Planet

In July 2023, around one-third of the 45 beds at the Phoenix, Arizona Burn Center were filled with individuals who had sustained severe burns from falling on the city's asphalt streets. Public alerts were issued to caution residents about the hazards of extreme heat, leading to temperatures of up to 82°C on a summer afternoon, just below the boiling point, affecting asphalt, concrete, and sidewalks. The hospital director emphasized the rapid occurrence of severe burns, explaining that a mere fraction of a second of contact with these surfaces could lead to injury. Such burns resulted from both accidental stumbling on the streets and fainting induced by the intense heat.


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