Rising Heat Threatens California Farmworkers

In the summers, the sky is completely black when Raúl Cruz arrives at this cane field in the Imperial Valley to begin his day. Cut, clean and tie the crop, and take precautions at dawn.It’s hard work, but so is starting at 4:00 in the morning, although he knows it’s safest when temperatures in this California desert often exceed 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).

“We just have to do it as we need to beat the heat,” said Cruz, who has worked here for 15 years.Thay finish work at 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning to avoid the risk of heatstroke,he added,but when the heat starts to increase around 8:00 in the morning,”mentally it is indeed stressful.”

The warm climate that makes this region of Southern California an agricultural powerhouse also makes it perilous for farm workers, who are increasingly vulnerable to rising temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions from burning coal, oil and natural gas.

Researchers at San diego State University (SDSU) are trying to understand the consequences of heat stress on the health of agricultural workers and where the heat is most extreme in this rural environment. They hope their findings will led to a better understanding of rural heat islands, identify gaps in research, and help develop interventions that better protect them from climate change.

“Workers could possibly be dying or having serious problems,” said nicolás Lopez-galvez, project leader and associate professor at the SDSU School of Public Health. “It is better to start acting as soon as possible.”

Mapping Rural Heat to Understand Thermal Stress

As the beginning of the 20th century, temperatures in California have risen nearly 1.7 degrees Celsius (3 degrees Fahrenheit), according to state and federal data.Warming has accelerated, and seven of the last eight years – through 2024 – were the hottest on record in the state. While all areas of the state have warmed, Southern California is warming about twice as fast as the north.

Ana Solorio,an organizer with the farmworker advocacy group Líderes Campesinas,who collaborates with researchers,remembers feeling “stifled” in the summer heat.

Key takeaways

• Rising temperatures pose a significant threat to the health and safety of California farmworkers.
• Farmworkers often begin their day before sunrise to avoid the most extreme heat.
• Researchers at SDSU are working to map rural heat islands and understand the impact of heat stress.
• Southern California is warming at a faster rate than other parts of the state.