The United States is experiencing a wave of high temperatures that led to 85 million people in more than a dozen states across the country receiving an extreme heat alert over the weekend.
The suffocating heatwave, showing the threat posed by global warming, was felt especially in Washington, with up to 37 or 38 degrees Celsius. In New York it was around 35 ºC.
(Also read: The hottest places on the planet: they have registered up to 70º Celsius)
But the most alarming situation is in California, where a fierce forest fire spread during the early hours of Sunday
More than 2,000 firefighters, supported by 17 helicopters, were deployed against the Oak fire, which broke out on Friday in California, near Yosemite National Park, the California Forest Protection Service (Cal Fire) reported.
In just two days since it was declared, the fire has already destroyed more than 5,700 hectares. The authorities assured that the fire is progressing completely out of control because the heat and low humidity “difficult” the extinction work.
“The extreme consequences of the drought have led to a critical level of combustibility,” according to the Cal Fire report.
Deemed “explosive” by authorities, the fire leaves destroyed homes and vehicles in its wake, as emergency personnel work to evacuate residents and protect buildings threatened by advancing flames.
(You may be interested: Heat waves in Europe will be frequent until 2060, why?)
Already 10 properties have been destroyed, five damaged and thousands are in danger.
More than 6,000 people have been evacuated, said Cal Fire official Hector Vasquez.
“Personnel from various departments across the state are arriving to help control this fire,” Vasquez said, calling the situation “really complex.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Mariposa County on Saturday due to “conditions extremely hazardous to the safety of persons and property.”
Inaction on climate change
Evidence of global warming could be seen in other parts of the country.
The crisis prompted former Vice President Al Gore, a tireless campaigner against climate change, to issue stern warnings on Sunday about “inaction” by US lawmakers.
Gore was adamant when asked if, as promised, President Joe Biden should declare a climate emergency.
“Mother Nature has already declared a global emergency,” he told ABC News. And “she’s going to be a lot worse very quickly,” she warned in another NBC interview.
(Keep reading: In Spain and Portugal alone, the heat killed 1,500 people)
Mother Nature has already declared a global emergency
Gore also said recent crises, including deadly heat waves in Europe, should draw the attention of members of Congress, who have so far refused to take action on climate change.
“I think these extreme events, which are getting worse and more serious, are starting to change opinion,” he said.
Scorching heat
The central and northeastern United States are the regions most affected by extreme temperatures.
“Scorching heat will continue in the mid-Atlantic and northeast tonight before a depression over Canada descends on the region tomorrow to moderate temperatures somewhat,” the National Weather Service said Sunday.
But temperature drops are not expected in all regions. Temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit may be recorded in the coming days in parts of eastern Kansas and Oklahoma, southern Missouri and northern Arkansas.
(You may be interested in: Surviving in a future of extreme heat)
Not even the usually cooler Pacific Northwest will escape the heat, as temperatures are forecast to “climb steadily over the next few days, leading to possible new records,” the weather service added.
Numerous cities have been forced to open refrigeration stations and increase protection for at-risk communities, such as the homeless and those without access to air conditioning.
A heat emergency is in effect for cities in the Northeast, including Boston, Philadelphia and Washington.
Several regions of the planet have been hit by extreme heat waves in recent months, such as Western Europe in July and India in March-April, which, according to scientists, is an unequivocal sign of a warming climate.
*With information from AFP
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