Oregon Governor Kate Brown on August 11 declared a state of emergency in the state as new heat waves continue to last until the end of this week. The state of emergency, scheduled to end this weekend, has been extended until August 20.
A burned-out car after the Dixie wildfire near the town of Canyondam, California, August 7, 2021
According to the weather forecast, the highest temperature in this state can reach 43 degrees Celsius and last for many days. Many cities in Washington state such as Seattle have also issued warnings about the risk of severe heat, which can be life-threatening. Meanwhile, in some East Coast states such as New York or New Jersey, the temperature also increased to a record of more than 40 degrees Celsius in many areas.
In addition to affecting people's health, heat waves can damage infrastructure such as electricity, water systems, roads as well as bridges and culverts or cause severe drought, increasing the risk of forest fires. .
This year's heatwaves on the US West Coast have been attributed to "heat domes", an unusual weather phenomenon that traps temperatures in one area and prevents other weather systems from moving in. Heatwaves in June in the West Coast states of the United States and Canada killed hundreds of people, mainly from heatstroke, and sent thousands more to hospital.