Extreme heat tops American weather fears as dangerous heat spreads across the U.S., with drought, wildfires and wildfire smoke close behind

70% of Americans fear extreme heat, with wildfire smoke (60%), drought (59%) and wildfires (52%) close behind; 54% feel personally prepared: survey

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., July 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As more than 100 million Americans face dangerous temperatures under an expanding heat dome stretching from the West into the Midwest and parts of the East this week, new survey data from First Onsite Property Restoration shows how widespread concern about extreme weather has become. When asked about their concerns, seven-in-10 Americans (70%) cited extreme heat as their top weather concern, with wildfire smoke (60%), drought (59%) and wildfires (52%) close behind.

The First Onsite Weather and Property Survey highlights a landscape where environmental threats have become a year-round reality. As utilities prepare for soaring electricity demand, health officials warn of dangerous heat exposure, and wildfire smoke remains a recurring risk across parts of the country, the survey also reveals a significant gap between concern and preparedness.

"Severe weather is no longer a seasonal concern – it's a year-round reality impacting homes and businesses across the country," said Jim Mandeville, SVP, First Onsite. "What this data shows is that while awareness is high, emergency preparedness hasn't kept pace. Too many people know the risks but still don't feel ready when disaster strikes."

Extreme Heat: America's Number One Weather Concern

Extreme heat ranks as Americans' top weather concern, cited by 70% of respondents. Concern is high across every region, ranging from 61% in the Northeast to 74% in the West. The current heat wave continues to bring dangerous temperatures across much of the West while expanding into the Midwest and parts of the East. Meteorologists also warn that the unstable atmosphere around the edge of the heat dome could fuel severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds, large hail, isolated tornadoes and flash flooding. Half of Americans are concerned about tornadoes, rising to 76% in the Midwest, and 55% are concerned about flooding, highest in the Northeast at 59%.

Wildfires, Wildfire Smoke and Drought

Wildfires (52%), wildfire smoke (60%) and drought (59%) rank just behind extreme heat among Americans' top weather concerns. While concern is highest in the West (75% for wildfires, 81% for wildfire smoke and 72% for drought), these issues are increasingly affecting communities nationwide.

Power Outages Rank as Top Property Concern

Power outages are the top property-related concern in the survey, with 72 percent of Americans worried about their impact. As air-conditioning demand approaches record levels, a prolonged outage during extreme heat is more than an inconvenience – it is a health and property emergency, increasing risks including mold growth, food and medication loss, and the structural consequences of prolonged temperature extremes.

Source: First Onsite Property Restoration and Angus Reid. Shading indicates highest regional figure per row.

The Preparedness Gap

Nearly one-in-three Americans (30%) say they have personally experienced a weather-related disaster at their home or workplace in the past five years. Meanwhile:

• Only 54% feel personally prepared to respond to a weather-related emergency
• Only 38% have an emergency kit prepared, dropping to just 30% in the Northeast and Midwest
• Only 55% are confident in their local authorities' ability to respond effectively
  
  

Source: First Onsite Property Restoration and Angus Reid. Shading indicates highest regional figure per row.

The findings point to a significant gap between awareness and action. Despite widespread concern about extreme weather, only 38% of Americans report having an emergency kit and just over half are prepared to respond to a weather emergency. For more information on proactive protection, visit the First Onsite Disaster Preparedness How-To Guides: https://firstonsite.com/resource-type/how-to-guides/

Survey Methodology

These findings are from an Angus Reid Forum survey conducted by First Onsite Property Restoration from March 12 to March 16, 2026, among a representative sample of 1,007 Americans. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/−3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About First Onsite: North America's Trusted Leader in Property Restoration

First Onsite Property Restoration is one of the largest and fastest-growing emergency response planning, mitigation, and reconstruction service providers in North America. First Onsite employs over 2,500 team members and operates from more than 100 locations across Canada and the U.S. With a culture focused on harnessing the human power of its team members and a commitment to doing what's right, the First Onsite team helps clients restore, rebuild, and rise. First Onsite is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation. For more information, go to firstonsite.com or follow @firstonsite on LinkedIn.

Press Contact:
Julia Koichopolos
Maverick PR
416-938-2882
julia@wearemaverick.com

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