Record Heat Dome Scorches the Western US as Washington Declares Wildfire Emergency

A brutal heat dome gripping the Western United States pushed temperatures to record levels on August 1: Phoenix reached 116°F (47°C), tying the Aug. 1 record set in 1972, Las Vegas hit 115°F — its hottest reading of the year, about 10 degrees above normal — and El Centro, California, was forecast to reach a record 118°F, the Associated Press reported. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warnings across parts of California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, with some southwestern desert areas forecast to hit 120°F.

No Respite Overnight

Meteorologists warned that overnight lows in the upper 80s to low 90s made the heat especially dangerous, giving people's bodies no chance to recover. In Montana, Great Falls was forecast to hit 104°F, topping its previous record of 101°F, while Helena was expected to match or beat its 102°F mark. The heat dome — a ridge of high pressure holding heat close to the ground — stretched from Arizona to Montana.

"This summer's extremes are only a warm-up act," UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on July 31, citing WMO forecasts that nearly every land area on Earth will be hotter than normal through October.

Wildfire State of Emergency

The heat collided with drought and wind to fuel dangerous fire weather: Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on August 1 and banned most outdoor and agricultural burning through September, ahead of a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Red Flag Alert — the National Weather Service's strongest wildfire warning — rated extreme across Eastern Washington. More than 312 square miles were burning in 12 large fires, and the Old Trails fire near Spokane forced evacuations after growing past 2,300 acres. The UN chief urged action on four fronts: protecting people, making work safer, building for coming heat, and stopping fossil fuel use.