Phoenix was blazing through its 31st consecutive day of at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) and other parts of the country endured record temperatures after a week that saw many portions of the US population subject to extremely warm weather.
According to the National Weather Service, Phoenix was expected to hit the record temperature of 112 F (44.4 Celsius) before the day was through.
This year July has been so sizzling hot thus far that the scientists are evaluating that it will be the hottest month ever recorded and likely the warmest the human civilisation has seen to date. On Thursday, the World Meteorological Organisation and the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service announced July to be beyond record-smashing.
The historic heat began hitting the lower Southwest United States in late June. The temperatures were soaring from Texas across Arizona, New Mexico and into California’s desert.
On 30 July 2023, a massive wildfire broke out in California’s Mojave National Preserve. The fire was burning out of control and soon spread rapidly due to strong winds. The firefighters, however, reported progress against another major flame to the south that led to evacuations.
The York Fire that broke out on 28 July 2023, Friday, near the remote Caruthers Canyon region of the preserve brought up a huge cloud of smoke that was visible for nearly 100 miles (160 kilometres) away across the state line in Nevada. Flames rose to 20 feet (6 metres) high in some areas and have charred more than 110 square miles (284 square kilometres) of juniper, desert scrub, and Joshua tree woodland.
According to the fire authorities, “The dry fuel acts as a ready ignition source, and when paired with those weather conditions it resulted in long-distance fire run and high flames, leading to extreme fire behaviour.”
The Bonny Fire was holding steady, towards the southwest at about 3.4 square miles (8.8 square kilometres) in the rugged hills of Riverside County. Around 1,300 people were advised to evacuate their homes surrounding the remote community of Aguanga, California.
According to the National Weather Service, triple-digit heat was anticipated in some parts of the central San Joaquin Valley through 31 July 2023. Responding to a report of a bear sighting in a residential neighbourhood, Police said that in Burbank, California, about 10 miles (16 kilometres) north of Los Angeles, the summer heat may have been responsible for some unusual behaviour in the animal kingdom. A sight of an animal sitting in a Jacuzzi behind one of the homes was also unusual.
As climate change continues to bring hotter and longer heat waves, record temperatures across the United States have killed dozens of people, and the poorest Americans are suffering the most. Air conditioning, which was once a luxury, is now become a matter of survival.
A University of Washington professor who researches heat and health, Kristie Ebi said, “To explain it fairly simply: Heat kills. Once the heat wave starts, mortality starts in about 24 hours.”
As per the Boston University analysis of 115 US metro areas, it’s the poorest and people of colour, from Kansas City to Detroit to New York City and beyond, who are far more likely to face unbearable sizzling heat without air conditioning.
Meanwhile, in Phoenix, a slight relief may be just around the corner as expected seasonal thunderstorms could drop temperatures in the coming days. Meteorologist Tom Frieders said, “It should be around 108 degrees, so we break that 110 streak… Increasing cloud cover will put temperatures in a downward trend.”
