The first major heat wave of the season has brought scorching temperatures in the three-digit threshold across the Southwestern U.S. this week, impacting metros like Las Vegas and setting record highs in other cities like San Angelo, Texas.
The sweltering heat will impact California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming through Friday, according to Accuweather. Local officials are already preparing for a brutal season of heat as Phoenix firefighters plan on implementing new tactics this year, such as ice immersion, to save people from heat-related illnesses and deaths.
Increasing temperatures pose great risks for Americans: extreme heat is listed as the highest climate-related fatality in the U.S., per the National Weather Service (NWS). It’s a problem that also disproportionately impacts people living in low-income areas, a study published in the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute found.
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