FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — On Thursday night, Valley lows dropped into the low 40s. In the Fresno area, the forecasted low was 42 degrees.<\/p>\n
Overnight, the California Highway Patrol received a call of a man and a woman, believed to be in their 50s, found dead inside the tent they shared on Belmont Avenue and Abby Street near Highway 180.<\/p>\n
Investigators believe the two had started a warming fire, fell asleep and died from a lack of oxygen.<\/p>\n
RELATED: City of Fresno served with federal lawsuit, officials vow to defend ‘anti-camping’ ordinance<\/a><\/p>\n Risks of hypothermia are increasing for those who are unhoused, especially those without safe heating elements.<\/p>\n “You’re losing heat faster than your body can generate so your core temperature starts dropping,” UCSF Fresno physician Dr. Kenny Banh said.<\/p>\n The largest risk to hypothermia, aside from extreme heat or cold, is exposure to elements, including rain and fog.<\/p>\n “If you don’t have access to where you can get dry, clean clothes, and stay bundled and stay warm, that’s a real risk for having a significant problems with hypothermia,” Dr. Banh said.<\/p>\n People often misinterpret being shivering cold as being hypothermic.<\/p>\n When the shivering stops, that’s when people go from a moderate to a severe stage of hypothermia.<\/p>\n “And that’s what leads to heart failure, organ failure, and potentially death from hypothermia if it gets to severe,” Dr. Banh said.<\/p>\n The Fresno Mission says nightly attendance continues to rise each evening, as Valley lows drop.<\/p>\n RELATED: Fresno Mission expands warming centers as fires linked to cold weather rise<\/a><\/p>\n “What we’ve seen is an average of about 10 additional people showing up per night,” Fresno Mission CEO Matthew Dildine said.<\/p>\n On Thursday night, the warming center at the Fresno Mission welcomed 65 individuals. The nonprofit says it has a total capacity of 180 beds.<\/p>\n “We’re starting to see that demand go up as we also see the temperatures go down,” Dildine said.<\/p>\n The warming center in downtown Fresno offers anyone a safe place to find rest overnight. Offering beds, restrooms, blankets and breakfast in the morning.<\/p>\n For news updates, follow Christina Lopez on Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Copyright \u00a9 2025 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n