Millions In US Suffering Through Wildfire Smoke, Heat Wave, Or Both
Forecasters say neither problem is expected to significantly improve anytime soon. Health experts warn that heat is a "silent killer" and causes more deaths than any other weather event, including tornadoes and flooding.
The New York Times:
Heat Wave And Wildfire Smoke Affecting Huge Portions Of North America
For nearly a half of the United States the forecast for the heat index, a measure of what the temperature actually feels like, fell into the “extreme caution” or “danger” categories. Humid air can keep the body from cooling efficiently because the air is so saturated that moisture from a person’s skin has nowhere to evaporate, a necessity for cooling down. Adding to the danger, nighttime temperatures are expected to remain high this week in the South and Midwest, making it harder for the human body to have a chance to cool down. (Sengupta, 6/29)
The Washington Post:
Millions Face A Summer Of Canadian Wildfire Smoke Unlikely To End Soon
The latest disruptions made it all the more clear: Record-setting, out-of-control Canadian wildfires will not be put out any time soon, meaning more Americans than ever face continuing threats of dangerously poor air quality this summer. Put differently: The United States could be in for a summer of smoke. “The number of people that are exposed is unprecedented in the modern era,” said Michael Wara, an energy and climate policy expert at Stanford University. (Dance, Selig, Livingston and Cappucci, 6/29)
The New York Times:
How Safe Is Your Office Air? There’s One Way to Find Out
In the United States, there is little regulation of indoor air quality, and once a building is up and running, occupants typically have little insight into whether the air they are breathing is safe. (Anthes, 6/29)
More on the deadly heat wave —
NBC News:
Extreme Texas Heat Is Not Letting Up At Night — And How This Impacts Health
Just as worrisome — nighttime temperatures have set records and offered no relief. On all but one day, Del Rio’s lowest temperature was at least 80 F, according to National Weather Service data. Heat at night disrupts sleep and prevents the body from recovering and cooling down, making minimum temperatures a critical indicator of a heat wave’s severity, experts said. In many parts of the country, nights are warming faster than days — a sneaky risk to people’s health. (Bush, 6/29)
AP:
Heat Waves Like The One That's Killed 14 In The Southern US Are Becoming More Frequent And Enduring
Scientists and medical experts say such deaths caused by extreme heat will only increase in the U.S. each summer without more action to combat climate change that has pushed up temperatures, making people especially vulnerable in areas unaccustomed to warm weather. “Here in Boston we prepare for snowstorms. Now we need to learn how to prepare for heat,” said Dr. Gaurab Basu, a primary care physician and the director of education and policy at the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (Snow, 6/30)
The Washington Post:
Pressure Builds For FEMA To Declare Deadly Heat Events As Disasters
Extreme heat kills more people than nearly every other weather event combined. But does the government respond to these potentially lethal events as they do with hurricanes and floods? Not yet. A disaster declaration by the president could allow states to be reimbursed for taking action that could save lives — such as opening cooling centers, distributing water and checking in with residents door-to-door. States could also ask the Federal Emergency Management Agency to launch an emergency response, such as supplying medical teams or rounding up generators. (Selig, 6/29)
USA Today:
Are Heat Waves Dangerous? How Humidity, 'Heat Islands' Affect Health
Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related event in the United States, killing more people than tornadoes or hurricanes – combined. While federal agencies report about 700 Americans die each year from extreme heat, some studies estimate that figure could be closer to 1,300 deaths per year. Another study found up to 20,000 deaths may have been linked to extreme heat between 2008 and 2017. (Rodriguez, 6/30)
AP:
Here's How To Keep Cool And Stay Safe During A Heat Wave
You might be experiencing a heat stroke if your body temperature reaches or surpasses 103 degrees. Other symptoms include nausea, headaches, thirst and a fast and strong heart rate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says heat stroke is a medical emergency and recommends that people with symptoms call 911.Symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, dizziness, vomiting and cold, pale or clammy skin. The CDC says you should seek treatment if such symptoms worsen or last more an hour. (Yamat, 6/29)
Be sure to watch your step —
Bay Area News Group:
Bay Area Temperatures Will Go Up, And Snakes Likely Will Be Coming Out
“As it gets warm, the snakes will come out,” Darren Johnson, an assistant fire chief for the Rodeo-Hercules Fire Department in Contra Costa County, said. “They’re gonna want to get to where it’s warm. Sometimes, that’s cement, sometimes that’s a driveway. Sometimes, it’s where mud has been by a side of a road. But it happens when it gets warm.” And some of those snakes carry a rattle, he said. Johnson is considered a bit of snake expert among Contra Costa County firefighters, but he’s hardly the only official who has signaled a warning to hikers to be aware of poisonous rattlesnakes. (Hurd, 6/29)
