Heat wave bringing record-breaking temps, heightened wildfire risk to parts of western U.S
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
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, Weather Service meteorologists said. Dangerous heat and warnings were plaguing the region Saturday, and the Weather Service on Saturday (August 1) forecast a high of 115° Fahrenheit (46° Celsius) in Las Vegas, the hottest temperature of the year. Phoenix was expected to reach 116°F (47°C), while El Centro, California, was expected to hit a record 118°F (48°C). Even parts of Montana were expected to broil, with a record 104°F (40°C) forecast for Great Falls. In Las Vegas, Saturday's (August 1) forecast high was 10 degrees above normal, with meteorologists warning of dangerous heat through Sunday (August 2), when the high is expected to be 114, said weather service meteorologist Morgan Stessman. Overnight lows in the upper 80s to low 90s will make the situation especially dangerous because it doesn't allow people's bodies to recover. “There's just no relief overnight,” Mr. Stessman said. People were being urged to stay indoors and hydrated. At the Justa Center in Phoenix, which caters to seniors but opens to the public as a cooling centre in the afternoon, the biggest challenge is keeping up with the need for water and electrolytes, said operations director Rudy Soliz.
He said about 200 people come in daily. “Anybody can come in, get a meal, sign up, get checked in through the cooling centre, sit down, relax, watch a little TV, you know, catch themselves before they move on to another cooling centre or their destination,” he said. Several cities nearing record temperatures The August record for Las Vegas is 116°F (47°C), while the hottest on record was 120°F (49°C) in July 2024, which also was the hottest summer on record, Mr. Stessman said. In Montana, the entire east side of the state was under an extreme heat warning on Saturday (August 1), though by Sunday (August 2), much of the state will be in the 70s, said weather service meteorologist Jeff Kitsmiller. Great Falls was heading toward a record high of 104°F (40°C), which would top its previous record of 101°F (38°C), while Helena was expected to match or surpass its record of 102°F (39°C), he said. Still, it's not as bad as the heat wave in mid-July, when some areas broke all-time records, including Billings, which reached 111°F (44°C) on July 12, Mr. Kitsmiller said. “That was a rare heat wave,” he said. “This one fits for this time of year.” The Montana Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter in Billings, opened its doors earlier than usual on Saturday (August 1) to provide relief from temperatures that could reach 106°F (41°C). Dozens of people were expected throughout the day, and the shelter planned to provide dinner, beds and breakfast, a receptionist said.
The BriefWire