MISSOULA — A study done by CAPA Strategies shows that as the summer begins to usher itself in, certain areas of Missoula may see increased temperatures when compared to others.
“We were trying to identify hotspots, also known as urban heat islands, throughout Missoula, to better understand where and who is most affected by extreme heat,” Callye Foster, home resiliency educator for Missoula County, said.
Zach Volheim reports - watch the video here:
Callye Foster, home resiliency educator for Missoula County, was an organizer and one of 32 volunteers who recently drove around Missoula at different times of the day, mapping temperatures across the county in August of 2025.
Some of the highlights from the mapping showed that Bonner and northwestern Missoula, sitting around 92 degrees, are two of the hottest areas in Missoula.
This is largely because of a lack of shade and green spaces.
When compared to a densely shaded area like the University District, which was around 88 degrees at the same time, places like Bonner and northwest Missoula are almost five degrees hotter.
“Heat has been identified as one of our top five weather hazards in the county,” Foster said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) latest data, dating back to 2022, roughly 1,800 Americans a year die from heat-related causes.
With that knowledge, Foster says the map's main purpose is to inform future decisions about how to mitigate heat.
“Having this data helps us identify future funding sources. So we have the evidence for future grants to help us mitigate the heat island effect in our community. We're also hoping that it helps influence policies throughout Missoula County to better identify ways to, like I said, mitigate the heat island effect and to really keep people safe in our community,” Foster said.
If you’re interested in seeing the full mapping study for yourself, head to Climate Ready Missoula’s website.
