Over the past few days, extreme temperatures reached much of the interior of the United States – right up to the edge of the Rocky Mountains. Southern California recorded temperatures of up to 47 degrees Celsius on Monday (local time), and a heat warning was issued for communities outside the city of Los Angeles.
A massive fire broke out near Lake Tahoe in the US state of California. Extreme heat, rising winds, low humidity and dry vegetation helped the fire spread.
In the neighboring state of Oregon, fires have tripled since Friday and spread to more than 150,000 hectares. The fire now threatens California’s electricity supply as well.
Across the border, authorities in Canada’s British Columbia province recorded a temperature of 36 degrees Celsius on Monday, well above the seasonal norms.
The western United States and Canada were already suffering from a heat wave in late June. In the Canadian province of British Columbia, the previous daily temperature record was broken for three consecutive days nearly two weeks ago. Experts warn of more frequent heat waves due to climate change.
