United States and Canada: Meteorologists again warn of severe heat

A tanker in California drops an extinguishing agent. Photo: DPA/Noah Berger

Summer never ends in America and Canada. Quite the contrary: Meteorologists are again warning of a “dangerous heat wave” and record temperatures.

UNITED STATES/CANADA – People in the western US and Canada are again hit by extreme heat: Meteorologists warned of a new “dangerous heat wave” and record temperatures on Sunday as wildfires continue to spread across Canada. Train traffic was restricted in the area, some roads were closed and new evacuations were ordered.

“A dangerous heat wave will hit large parts of the western United States with record-breaking temperatures,” the US National Weather Service said on Sunday. Canadian meteorologists have predicted maximum temperatures in parts of western Canada to be 32 degrees Fahrenheit – much higher than the seasonal normal.

There are currently about 300 fires in the affected area of Canada.

According to the US Weather Service, a record temperature of 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47.2 degrees) was reached in Las Vegas on Saturday – the temperature measured once in the desert city in 1942 and three times since 2005.

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. In the past two days, 50 more fires broke out in Canada alone, where the military is already fighting fires. There are about 300 fires currently raging in the area.

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Canadian Transportation Minister Omar Alghabara on Sunday announced new emergency measures to prevent wildfires in the region. Among other things, the train connection has been closed. Train due to uncontrolled flying sparks due to poor maintenance is a common cause of forest fires.

In the US state of Oregon, the so-called bootleg fire continued to spread south over the weekend: its area tripled, according to the US Forest Authority. Dozens of fires are also raging in California. Last month was the hottest June on record in North America. Experts warn of more frequent heat waves due to climate change.