Raging wildfires and their associated smoke plumes are plaguing parts of the western U.S. and Canada, with hasty evacuations underway in some communities.
The big picture: Extreme heat and dry conditions are yielding extreme fire behavior from northern California into Oregon, while Canada calls up military personnel to battle blazes in British Columbia and Alberta.
Nearly all of the world's oceans are in the midst of "unusual warmth," warns a leading NOAA scientist who notes this has contributed to the extreme heat baking much of the Northern Hemisphere this summer.
Why it matters: "Even small rises in temperature can disrupt marine ecosystems, cause some species to relocate, and increase disease risks," said Stats NZ's Stuart Jones in a statement. "It also contributes to sea-level rise as the warmer water expands."
