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Extreme Heat

In Southern California and throughout the world, heat waves are becoming more frequent and more extreme — a trend largely attributed to climate change. Here's how dangerously high temperatures contribute to an extended wildfire season in California and create new health threats.

The sun rises behind the Cholla Cactus garden in Joshua Tree National Park
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A woman with white hair, a green shirt, khaki pants and sneakers smiles as she leans against the handle of a door open to the sidewalk in front of the Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory, with the neighborhood businesses along the sidewalk and at the intersection visible in the distance.
Low-income neighborhoods are often dangerously hotter than wealthier areas. At "resilience hubs" like Boyle Heights Art Conservatory, there is shelter to survive, with programming for communities to thrive.
A dark grayish-blue van bearing the Amazon arrow symbol and the word "prime" sits parked in a lot for a Firestone store on a sunny day with a bright blue sky
Keeping delivery drivers safe during extreme heat conditions could require fundamentally changing Amazon's business model.
Two workers wearing neon vests and helmets, with one of them holding a water bottle.
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A closer look at the impact of the massive heat dome in Texas, where extreme heat is bearing down on some of the state's most vulnerable populations, including workers and prisoners.
Bill McKibben on a video call with "Democracy Now!" and an image of a forest engulfed in smoke and flames.
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This week unprecedented temperatures shattered heat records around the world. More records could be broken soon, as scientists say 2023 is set to be one of the warmest years in the history of planet Earth.
A composite illustration of a thermometer, $100 bills, credit cards and and checks overlaid on a globe map with a red-orange gradient in the background
From rising grocery and utility bills to skyrocketing insurance premiums, warming temperatures from climate change hit our wallets hard in 2022.
An aerial view of a large collection of oil refinery tanks at dusk, with pollution clouding up the sky.
Extreme heat and air pollution are taking a deadly toll on human health, according to a new report. But it's not too late to save lives.
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Located in Southeast Los Angeles County, the Gateway Cities area — which is largely comprised of urban low-income communities of color, specifically Black and Latinx residents — is particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of climate change, which are expected to grow more severe in the coming years.
Cars drive along Badwater Road in Death Valley National Park, past evidence of flash flooding including debris and cracked dirt
Extreme climate events — like record-breaking heatwaves and historic flooding (as Death Valley experienced in Summer 2022) — are becoming more frequent. Here's why that's far from "normal."
A pedestrian wearing shorts and sandals crosses a street while carrying a pair of oscillating fans.
Extreme weather leaves millions of Americans with power bills they can't afford — and those who are behind on their electricity bills could have their utility services cut, even as heatwaves become the norm.
A row of palm trees stands against the backdrop of a sky full of smoke from a wildfire.
High temperatures and air pollution can each harm human health on their own. But when combined — like from wildfire smoke during a heatwave — the results can be even more deadly, especially among older adults.
The sun sets into the horizon against an orange sky, behind the silhouette of power lines and transmission towers.
As California residents spend a ninth straight day under a statewide Flex Alert asking them to conserve energy between 3 and 10 p.m., Gov. Newsom tries out an emergency text messaging system.
A map of the United States showing an overlay of extreme heat temperatures in red in the West
A heat dome is currently baking California and the West in extremely high, record-breaking temperatures over the course of several days — although heat domes could last weeks. Here's some insight into the science behind the extreme heat California is currently facing.
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