Explore Dallas’ New Heat Awareness Resources
- DEQS
- Jun 24
- 2 min read
Keeping North Texas Cooler This Summer: Explore Dallas’ New Heat Awareness Resources
Summer in North Texas brings long periods of heat, intense sun, and warm evenings that can continue well after sunset. As temperatures rise and our region prepares to welcome visitors from around the world for upcoming events including the FIFA World Cup, creating cooler, more comfortable, and more resilient communities becomes increasingly important.
To support community awareness and action, the City of Dallas Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability (OEQS) is launching a community heat campaign to help residents and visitors better understand how the built and natural environment influence summer heat, and what actions can help reduce it.
Understanding Heat in North Texas
Extreme heat is one of the most significant climate challenges facing North Texas.
Heat affects how comfortable our neighborhoods feel, how much energy we use, and how we experience public spaces throughout the summer. Urban areas can become hotter than surrounding areas due to roads, rooftops, parking lots, and buildings absorbing and storing heat throughout the day. This is a phenomenon known as the Urban Heat Island Effect.
Dallas’ Urban Heat Island mapping work found that temperatures can vary across the city, reinforcing the importance of local solutions that create cooler and more resilient neighborhoods.
Many of the same actions that reduce heat can also support broader environmental benefits, including cleaner air, improved public spaces, and stronger community resilience.
Explore Our New Heat Awareness Resources
As part of this campaign, OEQS developed a series of educational one-pagers to help residents and visitors understand heat and identify opportunities to support a cooler North Texas.
Why Is North Texas So Hot?
Learn how urban heat islands form, why temperatures remain elevated even after sunset, and how heat and air quality are connected.
Topics include:
Urban Heat Island Effect
North Texas summer conditions
Heat and air quality connections
Trees and green infrastructure
Heat mitigation strategies
Shade Matters: Parks, Trees, and Green Spaces in North Texas
Explore how parks, tree canopy, and green spaces help cool neighborhoods while improving environmental quality and creating more comfortable public spaces.
Topics include:
Benefits of trees and shade
Environmental and air quality co-benefits
Parks and green spaces across North Texas
Community actions to support urban greening
Small Actions Can Support a Cooler North Texas
Heat mitigation happens at many scales, from citywide planning and infrastructure investments to neighborhood and household actions.
Strategies highlighted through this campaign include:
Protecting and expanding tree canopy
Increasing access to shade
Supporting parks and green space
Incorporating green infrastructure
Using cooler and more reflective materials
Building more resilient public spaces
These efforts support implementation of the City’s climate goals while helping create neighborhoods that are more comfortable and resilient during North Texas summers.
Learn More
Explore additional resources and learn more about climate action and resilience efforts in Dallas:
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