"The record-breaking heat wave roasting the West is expanding its grip on Thursday, with the focus of the triple-digit heat shifting into California — particularly the Central Valley and desert regions.
Across the West, the combination of record heat, preexisting drought conditions, and dry lightning strikes from afternoon thunderstorms threatens to ignite numerous wildfires Thursday.
Fires have already been burning in Montana, Arizona and other states affected by the heat wave.
More than 40 million people across the West and Southwest are likely to see temperatures in their area exceed 100°F during the next several days.
Climate change is making this event more severe than it otherwise would be, based on numerous scientific studies of similar extreme weather events."
Andrew Freedman reports for Axios June 17, 2021.
SEE ALSO:
"What Is a Megadrought?" (New York Times)
"What Tree Rings Reveal About America's Megadrought" (Guardian)
"Drought Spreads In Key U.S. Crop States" (Reuters)
"Wildfires Break Out Across the Western U.S." (New York Times)
"Western U.S. May Be Entering Its Most Severe Drought In Modern History" (CBS News)
"‘This Is Really, Really Bad’: Scientists On The Scorching US Heatwave" (Guardian)
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