KNKX reporters Lilly Ana Fowler and Bellamy Pailthorp wrapped up a three-part series this week called HEATED, which looked at the people who died and why and how King and Pierce counties can be better prepared for future heat waves. They share their personal takeaways from the project with KNKX's Kevin Kniestedt.

How do you prevent deadly heat events in urban areas? Leaders in Tacoma and King County and teams of volunteers are trying to increase the tree canopy and provide cooling shade while educating the public, tearing up asphalt and, in some cases, battling decades-old racism.

This summer's record high temperatures caught the Northwest off guard. People died on the job and in their homes and on the streets. Expert after expert told KNKX people will continue to die from conditions like this unless cities plan a lot better for extreme heat.

This summer, as a heat dome engulfed the Pacific Northwest, at least 138 people died in Washington state. KNKX sought to learn more about those who lost their lives, at least in part, because of the heat wave in those final days in June, which experts say would not have happened without climate change.