Photo: California firefighters put out a fire in the Gorman area on the 15th. \Associated Press

Starting this week, the United States will usher in the first wave of heat waves. Just last weekend, a huge “heat dome” formed in the eastern United States. In the next few days, it will spread to the Midwest and the Great Lakes region, bringing the first high temperature weather of the year to these regions. “Heat dome” refers to the phenomenon that persistent high pressure covers the hot air in the heat wave area like a hood, and the hot air stagnates.

According to the US Meteorological Department, 265 million people in the United States will experience temperatures above 32°C this week, 58 million people will receive high temperature warnings, and 22 million people will live below 37°C. The heat wave in the southwest region appeared earlier than in previous years. The temperature in Phoenix, Arizona and other places exceeded 43°C this past weekend. Last year, 645 people died in the region due to the heat wave.

The risk of wildfires in the western United States is rising. California authorities said that the wildfire in the mountains near Los Angeles has reached an area of ​​nearly 60 square kilometers, of which only 2% of the fire has been controlled, and at least more than 1,000 people have been evacuated. The wildfire started in the afternoon of the 15th local time, which temporarily closed Interstate 5, the main traffic artery in Los Angeles. About 1,200 campers in a nearby park were asked to evacuate that night, and the scenic area was forced to close. The California Fire Department said that the fire has damaged at least two buildings, and there are no reports of casualties. It is difficult to control the fire in an environment of high temperature, low humidity and strong winds.

According to weather forecasts, temperatures in most parts of Europe will rise due to the “African plume” (hot air masses from the Sahara Desert being transported northwards to Europe). The UK is about to usher in the first heat wave this summer, with temperatures soaring to 29°C in various places.

(CNN, The Mirror)