A widespread heat wave is expected to deliver a fresh batch of record temperatures along the US West Coast, as millions of Americans sweat through a heat dome that is also hovering over Arizona and Nevada.
About 36 million people, roughly 10% of the country, are under excessive heat warnings coming from the heat dome centered over California, the National Weather Service said.
Fossil fuel-driven climate change is driving extreme heat waves across the world and will continue to deliver dangerous weather for decades to come, research shows.
High temperatures are forecast to meet or exceed daily high records in Washington state, Oregon, California, northern Arizona and central Idaho.
In Death Valley National Park along the California-Nevada Border, the NWS projects highs near 54 degrees Celsius (130F) later this week.
On Saturday, the thermometer reached 53C (128F), breaking a 17-year record.
A motorcyclist died from exposure to the extreme heat, multiple news agencies reported, citing a government statement.
Temperatures reached 46C (115F) in Las Vegas, which tied a record that was set in 2007.
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Temperatures are running as much as 20 degrees above normal this time of year in places like Redding, a city a northern California that hit an all-time high of 48C (119F), NWS meteorologist Bryan Jackson said.
The NWS is also warning of increased wildfire risks due to a mix of hot, dry and windy conditions.
In Southern California, residents were ordered late Saturday to evacuate parts of Santa Barbara County where the Lake Fire has scorched more than 13,000 acres since Friday, according to Cal Fire.
Another 36 million people are under heat advisories, while about 1 million people face excessive heat watches, including eastern Oregon, northeastern Nevada and southwestern Idaho.
Heat warnings signify that conditions are imminent, which differ from heat watches that are issued when conditions are forecast in the coming days.
Last week, US President Joe Biden's administration proposed the first-ever safety standard intended to protect workers and communities from the impacts of extreme heat.
