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heat

Extreme Heatwave In Europe Is ‘A Brutal Reminder’ Of Climate Crisis, UN Chief States 

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The United Nations climate chief recently stated that the extreme early heat events taking over parts of western Europe have become a “brutal reminder of the spiraling impacts of the climate crisis.” This month, both France and the United Kingdom set new temperature records on two consecutive days. 

Simon Stiell is the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and this week he said that the “main culprit” of the climate crisis is humanity’s burning of oil, coal, and gas. 

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“The science is clear that human-induced climate change is making these heatwaves more frequent and extreme.”

France, Spain, and the UK have been reaching temperatures that are, on average, only seen in July and/or August.  

“Protecting human lives, businesses and economies from extreme heat and the many other soaring costs of climate change is core business for every nation, and it starts with kicking the fossil fuel addiction much faster.”

Other reports have shown that the war in the Middle East has greatly impacted the “soaring costs” of fossil fuels, and led to a need to move to cleaner sources of energy. Stiell also pointed out that India has experienced nearly 110 degrees Fahrenheit conditions which have led to deaths from heatstroke. 

The UK’s Met Office stated that Kew Gardens in London recorded a temperature of 92.2 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking the record for highest temperature in May, which was set the day before. The readings also surpassed a previous record of 91.04 degrees Fahrenheit which was set in 1922, and again in 1944. 

France experienced local highs of 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, and recorded their hottest day in May ever on Tuesday when the national heat index, an average of 30 readings around the nation, hit 76.64 degrees Fahrenheit, according to reports from the Guardian. 

Météo-France, the national weather service, stated that a “heat dome,” which causes heat to be held in place by a high-pressure weather front, was producing temperatures up to 55.4 degrees higher than what is usual for this time of year. 

17 out of 96 of France’s administrative departments, including Paris, were placed on an orange high temperature alert for Thursday, the second highest level. This alert level requires the nation’s population to be “very vigilant and take precautions.” Another 29 were placed on the more moderate yellow warning. 

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Scientists have stated that as the world continues to warm, extreme heat events that are typically exclusive to the peak of summer are becoming both more frequent and intense, and are happening earlier and later into the year. 

Peter Thorne, the director of climate research at Maynooth University in Ireland, said: “We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that events such as this have been made more likely and more severe due to climate change arising from our emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.”

“Nevertheless, many of the records being set, particularly in the UK and France, are mind-bogglingly crazy.”

This week, French authorities reported at least seven deaths that were directly and indirectly connected to the high temperatures. Five of these deaths were drownings, as many people were seeking out swimming spots to cool off. Authorities in Britain stated that four teenagers have also drowned in England since Sunday. 

Spain is reporting temperatures could hit 104 degrees Fahrenheit this week. These reports led to the Basque Country being placed on an orange weather alert.

Aemet, Spain’s state meteorological office, said that temperatures typically experienced in July have already been recorded across the country. Rubén del Campo, a spokesperson for Aemet, said that the heat was “more characteristic of the dog days, the hottest period of the year.”

“Both this episode and the atmospheric pattern that’s causing it are part and parcel of climate change and of what’s been observed in recent years.” 

wildfire

Thousands Under Evacuation Notice In California And Oregon Amid Intense Wildfires

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Thousands of homes and their residents in northern California and central Oregon entered evacuation orders as firefighting crews continue to battle wildfires in dry, hot weather. The Pickett fire has burned through more than 6,800 acres of Napa county, and was only 13% contained by Monday morning, according to the California department of forestry and fire protection (Cal Fire). 

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Around 150 people were ordered to leave their homes with another 360 under evacuation warnings. Reports show that the wildfires are threatening around 500 structures near Aetna Springs and Pope Valley, which is 80 miles north of San Francisco, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Jason Clay. 

In Oregon, the Flat fire in Deschutes and Jefferson counties has around 4,000 homes under various levels of evacuation notice, including 1,000 homes ordered to leave immediately, according to the state fire marshal’s office. 

Officials stated that firefighters were able to cut containment lines and suppress fires in some residential areas, however, they’re finding it difficult to combat the fires on more vulnerable terrains with low humidity and triple-digit temperatures. 

More than 1,230 firefighters with 10 helicopters are working to battle the California fire which initially began on Thursday last week after seven days of extremely hot temperatures. There is no known cause of the fire at the moment or where it began. 

Western US residents have been combating major heatwaves and an intense wildfire season. Residents have been hospitalized throughout California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona. 

When the heatwaves subside, officials say that the risks will continue as these areas have minimal moisture, increasing the danger for more fires in the coming month and into October. 

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In parts of Nevada, California, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming, risks are also increased by vegetation that are dangerously dry and overgrown. 

The heat alone bakes moisture out of already dehydrated landscapes, increasing the potential for ignitions, rapid fire spread, and threats to public health. Extreme heat is often referred to as the “silent killer” and is the most lethal weather-related disaster in the US. 

Heatwaves throughout the US are getting longer, larger, and more intense due to climate change which is intensified by concrete city landscapes. 

The Pickett fire began in the same area as the Glass fire in 2020, which entered into Sonoma county and burned around 105 square miles and more than 1,500 structures. 

The Oregon fire is in a high desert climate where dried vegetation, grasses, and juniper trees are burning rapidly, causing the fire to spread throughout canyon areas “where it is challenging to create containment lines,” said Jason Carr, Deschuted county sheriff’s spokesman. 

The fire has been growing due to hot and gusty wind conditions. Fire officials are also looking out for isolated thunderstorms, specifically in southern Oregon which could travel north, according to state fire marshals spokesman Chris Schimmer.

“If we get thunderstorms that roll through, it can … cause the fire to jump [containment] lines,” said Carr.

Firefighters are keeping a close eye on the fires and working hard to combat them to prevent spreading.

weather

US To Experience Another Summer Of Extreme Heat As Trump Administration Cuts Key Agencies 

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This summer is already set to be one of the hottest on record in the United States. With worsening weather conditions and a multitude of extreme climate events, the US is preparing the best they can for the coming months. 

While preparation measures are in place, there is major concern over the lingering impacts of the Trump Administration cutting funding for key agencies that assist the nation for these conditions. Funding and staff for federal science, forecasting resources, and disaster response agencies have been cut drastically throughout the US, which could leave many citizens vulnerable. 

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According to the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the extreme heat this summer will be “widespread.” Many parts of America have already begun to feel the impact in these beginning weeks of summer. 

The NOAA reported that throughout the spring this year there was a lack of precipitation. That combined with high temperatures and dry conditions could lead to increased levels of drought and wildfires this summer. 

Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” has made major cuts to the National Weather Service, specifically in Texas where the Houston office for the service has been left understaffed and without any permanent leadership, according to reports from the Guardian. 

Despite the fact that the US, and the world, has been continuously left susceptible to threatening weather conditions, federal science agencies like NOAA have been forced to operate at a reduced capacity and without proper funding. 

These cuts have led to hundreds of meteorologists leaving the National Weather Service. Now, Americans are turning to their local and state officials for guidance when it comes to handling heat and extreme weather. Non-profits and universities have also become a reliable source of information when it comes to handling our changing climate. 

From Rice University in Houston, climate scientist Sylvia Dee and her colleagues have described the major heat we’ve experienced as a “slow violence” against humanity. Climate change as a whole is a major threat to our health. Air pollution combined with extreme weather creates an environment that will become unsustainable for a healthy life. 

“There’s just so many things that center around heat stress. Extreme heat can hijack our brain’s ability to think clearly. Those executive functions like decision-making and inhibition and sequencing tasks, they all become harder,” Adrienne Heinz, a clinical research psychologist at Stanford University, said to reporters. 

“It becomes like walking through mud. It affects your ability to learn if you’re a student or your ability to perform if you’re an employee. It doesn’t leave anything untouched, really.”

The NOAA reports that excessive heat levels are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the US. According to a 2024 report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, heat-related deaths in the US have increased by 117% since 1999. 

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Dee has stated that Texas is a prime example of what the US should look at to see the devastating impacts of climate change. 

“I feel like Houston is ground zero for climate change. I think there’s some level of frustration amongst us because, you know, we have been living through these conditions for many years,” she said. 

“We’re going to have more people in harm’s way. The exposure of Houstonians to weather and climate disasters will only increase. We’re very overwhelmed and trying desperately to sound the alarm.”

Heinz emphasized these points regarding the current, and worsening, impacts that our climate conditions have on human health. 

“These prolonged heat waves affect sleep, the cornerstone of our mental health. Our ability to weather adversity and emotionally regulate is compromised when we’re not getting good sleep.”

With staffing and funding cuts, it’s unclear how much federal bodies will be able to prepare and respond to extreme weather such as heat emergencies. 

An anonymous climate scientist from the Department of Energy said: 

“It’s pretty scary. Summers are only getting hotter, and wildfire seasons have been getting longer and more intense for years. These disruptions to federal science infrastructure and emergency response capacity come at the worst possible time.”

As a means of combatting the removal of necessary protections and funding from the Trump administration, many heat-prone cities and states, such as Arizona, California, and Nevada, have written and passed legislation, regulations, and ordinances to create a baseline for combatting extreme heat, and climate change in general. 

Mandy Ikert, the head of climate resilience with C40, an international group of cities working together on climate issues, said “with the health, safety, and economic impacts of extreme weather increasing, mayors know that inaction is not an option.” 

“Cities are taking a broad range of approaches to help their residents stay safe during the heat season, including investing in cooling centers, increased communication to residents, and new policies to make buildings and the people inside them safer.”