West Coast Heatwave: Record-Breaking Temperatures Grip Multiple States

The western United States is experiencing a severe heatwave with temperatures reaching triple digits from Southern California to northern Idaho. Around 30 million people are under heat advisories. Wildfires in Oregon have scorched thousands of acres, exacerbated by the heat. Experts link these events to climate change.

The western part of the United States is sweltering under yet another record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures set to hit triple digits from Southern California to northern Idaho. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued heat advisories and excessive heat warnings affecting some 30 million people through midweek.

States including California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington are bracing for temperatures exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius). Central Oregon and parts of Washington face elevated wildfire risks due to the hot and dry weather, the NWS warned. Firefighters are tackling multiple wildfires in Oregon, with the Lone Rock Fire devastating over 116,000 acres (470 square kilometers). Officials have ordered evacuations in response to the Durkee Fire in eastern Oregon.

Climate change, driven by fossil fuel use, is cited as a key factor behind these extreme heat events. Experts caution about severe health risks, such as heat strokes. NWS Meteorologist Bob Oravec indicated that record high temperatures could persist in the interior Pacific Northwest and desert Southwest for at least the next four days. Cities like Yakima and Spokane in Washington, as well as Boise in Idaho, are projected to break historical temperature records.

(With inputs from agencies.)