Many states of the USA face heatwaves that are parching the land and creating perfect conditions for wildfires. Heatwaves are currently affecting the west, northwest and northeast of the country.
Over the past few days New York has been sweltering in a heatwave which has seen temperatures soaring into the mid 30’s. High humidity combined with the extreme heat is making it feel more like 40 Celsius (104F). The mayor of New York urged residents to conserve power to avoid blackouts, while city officials opened around 290 cooling centres to provide relief from the heat for the public.
Forecasters expect the heatwave to come to an end over the next few days as a cold front is expected to bring thunderstorms and rain.
Meanwhile, a severe heatwave has gripped the northwest with parts of Oregon state recording temperatures of 40 Celsius (104F). Record temperatures may well be reached later this week as the heatwave intensifies. In eastern Oregon, a series of wildfires have already burnt around 30,000 acres of land and threatened at least 30 homes on Tuesday.
Forecasters expect the heatwave across the Pacific Northwest to continue into the weekend.
