Heat wave bringing record-breaking temps, heightened wildfire risk to parts of western U.S.
A severe heat wave is impacting the western United States, with record-breaking temperatures forecast for cities like Las Vegas and Phoenix. Authorities have issued warnings and opened cooling centers to protect residents from the dangerous heat dome.
Why it matters
Extreme weather events driven by climate patterns pose significant public health risks and increase the danger of wildfires in the region.
A heat wave gripped large swaths of the western U.S. on Saturday (August 1, 2026) as temperatures hovered near record highs, heightening wildfire risks in areas that already are dry or burning and prompting warnings for people to stay inside.
A ridge of high pressure is holding heat close to the ground — what's known as a heat dome — from Arizona to Montana, though the good news is that it will be relatively short-lived, National Weather Service meteorologists said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in