Southwestern United States will welcome record high temperature, over 80 million people receive alerts

　　China News Service, August 16th. According to a report by the American Chinese website, over 80 million people in the United States received high temperature warnings this weekend, and the temperature in ten states may reach record levels. High temperature warnings in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Texas are in effect.

Data map: On August 4, a wildfire broke out in southern California, and more than 1,000 firefighters tried to control the fire. 

　　"A single-day historical high of close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 37.7 degrees Celsius) over the weekend is in danger, and more record highs are expected next week because heat is still locked in most parts of the western United States." Hayley Brink said.

　　Some cities, such as El Paso and Abilene in Texas, may have only one day of record high temperatures this weekend. However, Las Vegas and Yuma, Arizona may break temperature records for three consecutive days. Even Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon are likely to break high temperature records this weekend.

　　Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana have issued high temperature warnings.

　　Wildfires have destroyed more than 90,000 acres (about 36,000 hectares) of land in three states and continue to spread rapidly. Los Angeles County, California, Vasco County, Oregon, and Garfield County and Larimer County, Colorado have all issued evacuation orders. In Los Angeles County, two active wildfires have forced the evacuation of more than 300 homes, destroyed at least three buildings, and threatened another 5,000 buildings.

　　The hot weather this weekend will make the job of firefighters more difficult. Not only because the conditions for the fire to spread are mature, but also because moving forward at full speed and extinguishing the fire under high heat will increase the core body temperature of firefighters, thereby increasing the risk of heat stress.

　　Despite the fact that since July, the monsoon has begun to bring much-needed rainfall to the region, there has been a lack of rainfall in most of the southwest in recent months.

　　Since the end of July, there has been no rain in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Phoenix and Flagstaff, Arizona. There is also Los Angeles and San Diego, which have not had any rain since May and June respectively. Palm Springs, California, Las Vegas and Yuma, Arizona have not even rained since April.