Stay safe, cool during triple-digit days in southern Arizona
Many will hit the links this weekend to celebrate Father’s Day, but it comes with some risks
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - With triple-digit temperatures in the forecast for the next several days, 13 News has a list of safety tips, events to go to, ways to stay cool, and an explanation of the current fire restrictions.
According to Chief Meteorologist Erin Christiansen, southern Arizona could hit at least 110 degrees on Monday, and it will be dry at the same time.
She said our highs will remain above 105 the next few days, which is why we declared First Alert Action Days. You can check her extended forecast HERE.
GOLFING AND FATHER’S DAY
Nothing goes together quite like Father’s Day and a round of golf.
13 News talked to some golfers and first responders about what you can do to stay safe in the heat.
There was a surprisingly large number of golfers despite the heat on Friday, including many fathers and sons.
Each said they had their tips for combating the sun, but most said it was worth it.
Paramedics from the Tucson Fire Department said it is important to keep in mind how a temperature increase like we are seeing can change your golfing or other Father’s Day outing.
“We love coming out,” said Olivia Franklin. “Like, all the time you come on top, especially because it gets empty out here, you have the whole course to yourself.”
“This is a great bonding time for us to be out,” said Paul Franklin.
“It’s a lot hotter, but it’s time we get to spend together,” said Zach Carter.
The heat can put a lot of people at risk of overheating.
“We’ve been to golf courses quite a bit,” said TFD paramedic engineer Bryce Womack. “Typically, it’s people who golf relatively often. They like to golf in the middle of the day. There’s less people out there. The rates are cheaper, you know, those kind of things. And then they don’t take enough water.”
13 News asked a few of the golfers how they stay cool.
“Really just these and obviously, cups of water, lots of water,” said Payton Carter.
“We just dump a lot of water on our head and back,” said Jorge Salgado.
“Eating things like pretzels or having salt out on the golf course, that really helps, just drinking a lot of water,” said Kiah Franklin.
Womack said it is important to be aware of the signs of the heat getting to you.
“You stop sweating, and you just become clammy, those kinds of things,” he said. “You get dizzy to the point where you can’t walk anymore, things of that nature.”
Paramedia said sweating more than normal is the first sign that something is wrong and that it is time to take a break.
EVENTS
Despite the extreme heat, there are several events scheduled for southern Arizona this weekend.
On Saturday, the 55th annual Tucson Juneteenth Festival will be held at Kino Sports Complex. The festival runs from 5 to 10 p.m. and features food trucks, live music, a car show, and more than 140 vendors — highlighting small, Black-owned businesses. A family-friendly kids zone offers fun activities designed to teach children about Juneteenth’s history. Gov. Katie Hobbs is expected to attend.
Also on Saturday, there will be several No Kings protests across the area. The biggest will be a Motor March hosted by Democracy Unites Us. It is set for 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. They will meet at Reid Park and then drive throughout the area.
Other No Kings protests are set for 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Oracle and First Avenue in Oro Valley, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Sahuarita Town Hall, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Mary Ann Cleveland Way and Colossal Cave Road in Vail.
From 5 p.m. to sunset Saturday, the Philippine Mars flying boat will be available for public viewing for the first time at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson. More information is available HERE.
From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, the World Margarita Championship will be held at the Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort & Spa (245 East Ina Road). Ticket information is available at https://saaca.thundertix.com/
On Sunday, a Tucson March for Their Lives event will be held at the University of Arizona. The march is to bring attention to the hostages still being held in Gaza.
OTHER SAFETY TIPS
13 News’ Tolulope Ajayi reported how children can get burned while playing outside during the summer. You can read tips about protecting your kids HERE.
13 News’ Katherine Patterson recently did a story on the increase in contact burns in southern Arizona. TMC has already reported 12 cases of people with burns, and more are expected in the coming days.
13 News Fact Finder Brooke Wagner recently teamed up with Arizona Health Services to identify the six things you should never leave in a hot vehicle. The first one, people and pets, is a no-brainer. But the other five may surprise you. Read about the list HERE.
Knowing the signs of heat-related illness can be the difference between life and death. Learn more about protecting yourself HERE and HERE.
Brooke also did a story about ways to keep your power bill down while making sure your air conditioner is running well. You can read about that HERE.
Arizona has a rate of skin cancer that is nearly double the national average, according to a study by Axios.
The best way to avoid skin cancer is to minimize your time in the sun. The second-best prevention is using an approved sunscreen. 13 News’ Carsyn Currier has some tips about picking the right cream for you HERE.
THING TO DO TO STAY COOL
During a heat wave like this, an easy way to cool down is to hit a public pool or splash pad. A list of the Tucson-owned pools and splash pads is available HERE. A list of the Pima County pools is HERE, while locations in Marana can be found HERE.
Other options to stay cool are the Reid Park Zoo and the Tucson Botanical Gardens. The TBG, which recently purchased the Yume Japanese Gardens, is offering $5 Fridays from June 6 through Sept. 26. More information about the deal, which includes root beer floats for only $5, is available HERE.
Tucson residents have been beating the heat for years by going to the mall, catching a movie, or hitting the bowling alley. There is no shortage of any of those in southern Arizona.
Recently, Roadies opened up at Grant and Swan, offering video games, bowling, and gourmet food. Round1, Dave and Buster’s, and Main Event all offer similar entertainment at their facilities scattered across southern Arizona.
There are plenty of bowling alleys in Tucson. Recently, the old Fiesta Lanes on River Road reopened following damage from a monsoon storm last year. The new place is called PINZ Fiesta. There is also Lucky Strike on Speedway, Cactus Bowl on South 16th Avenue, Vantage Bowling Center on East 34th Street, and Tucson Bowl on East 21st Street.
For malls, there is Park Place Mall on Broadway, the Tucson Mall on Oracle, La Encantada on Skyline, El Con Center on Broadway, and Tucson Premium Outlets near Twin Peaks.
Another way to survive the heat is the numerous free cooling centers across the area run by the city of Tucson, the Salvation Army of Tucson, the Gospel Rescue Mission, and Pima County.
Tucson’s centers will be open from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. each day, except Juneteenth and the Fourth of July. The Salvation Army Hospitality House (1002 North Main Avenue) is open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The Gospel Rescue Mission, located at 4550 South Palo Verder, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Pima County has nearly three dozen cooling centers, and the hours vary depending on the site.
The Tucson-run locations are:
- Donna Liggins Center, 2160 North 6th Avenue
- El Pueblo Center, 101 West Irvington Road, Building #9
- Fred Archer Center, 1665 South La Cholla Boulevard
- Freedom Center, 5000 East 9th Street
- Morris K. Udall Center, 7200 East Tanque Verde Road
- Randolph Center, 200 South Alvernon Way
A map of the Pima County cooling centers, respite centers, and hydration centers can be found HERE.
The Gospel Rescue Mission, a non-profit that has been helping the homeless community for years, recently kicked off its Operation Rescue from the Heat. The group offers help year-round, including a place to stay warm during the winter. Read more about their programs HERE.
The Salvation Army also does its Park Outreach, a mobile distribution program.
Through Aug. 31, Operation Chill Out teams will deploy to local parks from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. each weekday whenever the forecast high is at least 102 degrees. Volunteers and staff will distribute essential items, including:
- Bottled water
- Personal hygiene kits
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Nutritious snacks
- Hats, sunglasses, and flip flops
- Light summer clothing
For more information about the Salvation Army, to volunteer, or to donate, please email kristin.ohan@usw.salvationarmy.org or call 520-448-3997.
FIRE DANGERS AND RESTRICTIONS
With the hot, dry conditions comes a greater chance of wildfires and brush fires in southern Arizona. The Tucson Fire Department has had several busy days in the last month, dealing with brush and house fires across the area.
That includes a structure fire at an abandoned gas station near Country Club and 22nd on May 23. The roof collapsed while crews were fighting the flames. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt. Video of the collapse, which can be watched below, went viral.
There have been at least 14 named wildfires in southern Arizona this year alone. Eight of those have been confirmed to be human-caused, and another four are under investigation as having been started by a person.
A list of all the wildfires in southern Arizona in 2025 is available HERE.
A reminder that Arizona, Pima County, and Tucson have put Stage II fire restrictions in place. That means no open flames are allowed on public lands.
That includes campfires, BBQ pits, wood stoves, and fireworks. Officials also ask that people avoid parking on grass and which could cause a fire to break out quickly.
You could face heavy fines if caught using an open flame on public lands. In fact, the U.S. Forest Service cited several people at the Coronado National Forest over the Memorial Day weekend. More than 40 tickets were issued, and the fines were more than $13,000.
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