Sharjah24 - AFP : Wildfires were burning across more than one million acres of the western United States and Canada on Monday, as scorching temperatures held their grip on areas reeling from a brutal weekend heat wave.
Some 850,000 acres were on fire in the United States, mainly in western states such as Oregon, California and Arizona, while more than 300,000 acres smoldered in Canada's British Columbia alone, according to wildfire officials.
After a brief lull from late June's previous heat wave, extreme temperatures in recent days reached as far inland as the edge of the Rocky Mountains, part of a dramatic trend that experts attribute directly to climate change.
The US National Weather Service (NWS) warned dangerous temperatures were continuing in the region for the early part of the week, with temperatures up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 Celsius) recorded in southern California Monday, and a heat advisory issued for communities outside Los Angeles.
The NWS said overall temperatures were beginning to dip, with breezes arriving in northern California and storms in Arizona and New Mexico on Monday, but excessive heat warnings remained in effect "for most areas through Tuesday evening."
Particularly high overnight temperatures have robbed many heat-struck regions of much-needed respite, and more sweltering forecasts lie in store for the coming days.
"Luckily the hot spots will start cooling down after today. Enjoy it while it lasts because we are looking at more heat starting this weekend," tweeted the NWS Los Angeles service.
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