Salvia miltiorrhizaBunge (Danshen) is a traditional Chinese herb with significant medicinal value. The yield and quality of Danshen are greatly affected by climatic conditions, in particular high temperatures. Heat shock factors (Hsfs) play important regulatory roles in plant response to heat and other environmental stresses. However, little is currently known about the role played by theHsfgene family inS. miltiorrhiza. Here, we identified 35SmHsfgenes and classified them into three major groups: SmHsfA (n = 22), SmHsfB (n = 11), and SmHsfC (n = 2) using phylogenetic analysis. The gene structure and protein motifs were relatively conserved within subgroups but diverged among the different groups. The expansion of theSmHsfgene family was mainly driven by whole-genome/segmental and dispersed gene duplications. The expression profile ofSmHsfsin four distinct organs revealed its members (23/35) are predominantly expressed in the root. The expression of a large number ofSmHsfswas regulated by drought, ultraviolet, heat and exogenous hormones. Notably, theSmHsf1andSmHsf7genes in SmHsfB2 were the most responsive to heat and are conserved between dicots and monocots. Finally, heterologous expression analysis showed thatSmHsf1andSmHsf7enhance thermotolerance in yeast. Our results provide a solid foundation for further functional investigation ofSmHsfsin Danshen plants as a response to abiotic stresses.