Aug 22, 2020 - Energy & Environment

Heat is fueling this summer's extreme weather

A man trying to save a home in Vacaville, Calif., is consoled by a firefighter Wednesday.

A man trying to save a home in Vacaville, Calif., is consoled by a firefighter Wednesday. Photo: Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images

"America is roasting," the WashPost reports on A1, noting the historically high temperatures it calls a "deadly force of nature."

Driving the news: "At least 140 Western weather stations notched record highs in the past 10 days as a thermometer in California’s Death Valley hit 130 degrees Fahrenheit, one of the highest temperatures measured on Earth."

Bay Area fires rank in the top 5 in California history, the L.A. Times reports.

  • California is reporting 560 wildfires.
  • 100,000 people are under evacuation orders.

Zoom out: Four wildfires are burning through forest land in Colorado as half the state sees severe to extreme drought conditions, per the U.S. Drought Monitor.

  • The Atlantic Ocean is experiencing temperatures approximately two to three degrees warmer than average across the Eastern Seaboard.

The bottom line: "Scientists say there is no doubt that climate change is driving the extreme weather, increasing the threats to property and life," The Post writes.

  • “Yeah, it’s summer, and summer is hot, but this is different,” the National Weather Service tweeted. “These are dangerous conditions.”

Go deeper: California wildfires scorch 771,000 in one week

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