The UN report on climate warned that global warming is on track to hit 1.5 degrees Celsius around 2030.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) said 1.5 Celcius warming threshold would be surpassed by 2050 even if fossil fuels were&nbsp;aggressively taken off.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/dixie-blaze-california-wildfire-becomes-second-worst-in-states-history-404173">In Pics:&nbsp;Dixie blaze: California wildfire becomes second-worst in state's history</a>

"It has been clear for decades that the Earth's climate is changing, and the role of human influence on the climate system is undisputed," Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group 1 co-chair Valerie Masson-Delmotte said.

The report said heatwaves, rainfall and droughts are "unprecedented in the observational record" as the climate body warned&nbsp;extreme weather would sweep&nbsp;the world.

"Climate report must be death knell for fossil fuels," the UN chief Guterres said.

The UN report said rising sea levels and the melting of Earth's frozen spaces are now "irreversible for centuries or millenia".

Nearly 1 billion people worldwide could swelter in more frequent life-threatening heat waves, the report said, adding, hundreds of millions more would struggle for water because of severe droughts with some animal and plant species becoming extent.

"The alarm bells are deafening&nbsp;and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk," said Guterres.

Coral reefs, which sustain fisheries for large swaths of the globe, will suffer more frequent mass die-offs, the report warned.

The report said that if nations fail in their efforts, global average temperatures will keep rising potentially passing 2 degrees, 3 degrees or even 4 degrees Celsius compared with the preindustrial era.

The UK said the report was "a stark warning... that human activity is damaging the planet at an alarming rate".

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

The UN report on climate warned that global warming is on track to hit 1.5 degrees Celsius around 2030. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) said 1.

The UN report on climate warned that global warming is on track to hit 1.5 degrees Celsius around 2030. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) said 1.5 Celcius warming threshold would be surpassed by 2050 even if fossil fuels were aggressively taken off. In Pics: Dixie blaze: California wildfire becomes second-worst in state's history "It has been clear for decades that the Earth's climate is changing, and the role of human influence on the climate system is undisputed," Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group 1 co-chair Valerie Masson-Delmotte said. The report said heatwaves, rainfall and droughts are "unprecedented in the observational record" as the climate body warned extreme weather would sweep the world. "Climate report must be death knell for fossil fuels," the UN chief Guterres said. The UN report said rising sea levels and the melting of Earth's frozen spaces are now "irreversible for centuries or millenia". Nearly 1 billion people worldwide could swelter in more frequent life-threatening heat waves, the report said, adding, hundreds of millions more would struggle for water because of severe droughts with some animal and plant species becoming extent. "The alarm bells are deafening and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk," said Guterres. Coral reefs, which sustain fisheries for large swaths of the globe, will suffer more frequent mass die-offs, the report warned. The report said that if nations fail in their efforts, global average temperatures will keep rising potentially passing 2 degrees, 3 degrees or even 4 degrees Celsius compared with the preindustrial era. The UK said the report was "a stark warning... that human activity is damaging the planet at an alarming rate". (With inputs from Agencies)

UN report warns more vicious floods, heatwaves, worsening droughts and rise in sea levels

Turkish coastguards evacuated hundreds of villagers&nbsp;from&nbsp;a burning power plant on Thursday and Greek firefighters battled a major blaze near the ancient Olympic site as a record&nbsp;heatwave&nbsp;wrecked havoc across Europe's southeast.

The two regional rivals have been united this week in their fight against disasters that officials and experts link to increasingly frequent and intense weather events caused by climate change.

Eight people have died and dozens have been hospitalised across the southern coasts of&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;since the&nbsp;wildfires&nbsp;erupted last week.

The blazes in&nbsp;Greece&nbsp;this week briefly cut off the main road leading to Athens and saw worrying fires break out in Olympia -- the birthplace of the Olympic Games that is usually crowded with tourists -- and on the island of Evia.

Greece&nbsp;deployed large forces near Olympia to protect archaeological sites where the first Olympic Games were held in antiquity.

"We're waging a battle of the titans!" Greek deputy minister for civil protection Nikos Hardalias said.

But perhaps the biggest shock came when winds whipped up a flash fire that subsumed the grounds of an Aegean coast power plant in&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;storing thousands of tonnes of coal.

'Where could we go?'

An AFP team saw firefighters and police fleeing the 35-year-old Kemerkoy plant in the Aegean province of Mugla as bright balls of orange flames tore through the surrounding hills.

Hundreds of villagers -- many clutching small bags of belongings grabbed&nbsp;from&nbsp;their abandoned houses as the evacuation call sounded -- piled onto coastguard speedboats at the nearby port of Oren.

The regional authority said "all explosive chemicals" and other hazardous material had been removed&nbsp;from&nbsp;the strategic site.

"But there's a risk that the fire could spread to the thousands of tonnes of coal inside," regional mayor Osman Gurun told reporters.

A few older villagers in Oren refused to leave the disaster-hit region even while thousands of others were shuttled out by car or boats racing along the Aegean Sea.

"Where do you want us to go at our age?" asked 79-year-old Hulusi Kinic.

"We live here. This is our home. Our last solution was to throw ourselves in the sea (if there was an explosion), but thank God that did not happen."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said an initial inspection showed the overnight blazes left "no serious damage to the main units in the plant".

'Asking for reinforcements'

More than 100 blazes were still burning in&nbsp;Greece&nbsp;and 180 have ignited in&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;since July 28 -- more than a dozen of them still active on Wednesday night.

The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said July was the second-hottest on record in Europe.

Greece's Hardalias said earlier this week that the ferocity of the fires ravaging the region meant that "we are no longer talking about climate change but a climate threat".

The unfolding disasters saw the leaders of both countries come under pressure&nbsp;from&nbsp;local officials for what they felt was an insufficiently resolute response.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/long-lost-fragment-of-stonehenge-reveals-rock-grains-dating-to-nearly-2-billion-years-ago-403006">Also read |&nbsp;Long-lost fragment of Stonehenge reveals rock grains dating to nearly 2 billion years ago</a>

"We are asking the authorities to reinforce the air and land forces to so as not to risk human lives," Limni mayor Giorgos Tsapourniotis told&nbsp;Greece's ANA news agency.

The Turkish mayor of the town of Milas spent days waging a social media campaign trying to get officials to send firefighting planes that could douse the flames before they engulfed the power plant.

Erdogan on the defensive

Erdogan has come under especially withering criticism for being slow or unwilling to accept some offers of foreign assistance after revealing that&nbsp;Turkey&nbsp;had no functioning firefighting planes.

The crisis has posed an unexpected challenge to the powerful Turkish leader two years before he faces an election that could extend his rule into a third decade.

Erdogan tried to mount a political counterattack in a television interview Wednesday that began just as news broke that the fire had reached the Aegean power plant.

"When fires break out in America or Russia, (the opposition) stands by the government, We don't have this," Erdogan said.

The prosecutors' office in Ankara said Thursday it has launched an investigation into social media posts about the fire that were "trying to create anxiety, fear and panic in the public, and to humiliate the Turkish government".

Turkish coastguards evacuated hundreds of villagers from a burning power plant on Thursday and Greek firefighters battled a major blaze near the ancient Olympic site as a record heatwave wrecked havoc across Europe's southeast.

Turkish coastguards evacuated hundreds of villagers from a burning power plant on Thursday and Greek firefighters battled a major blaze near the ancient Olympic site as a record heatwave wrecked havoc across Europe's southeast. The two regional rivals have been united this week in their fight against disasters that officials and experts link to increasingly frequent and intense weather events caused by climate change. Eight people have died and dozens have been hospitalised across the southern coasts of Turkey since the wildfires erupted last week. The blazes in Greece this week briefly cut off the main road leading to Athens and saw worrying fires break out in Olympia -- the birthplace of the Olympic Games that is usually crowded with tourists -- and on the island of Evia. Greece deployed large forces near Olympia to protect archaeological sites where the first Olympic Games were held in antiquity. "We're waging a battle of the titans!" Greek deputy minister for civil protection Nikos Hardalias said. But perhaps the biggest shock came when winds whipped up a flash fire that subsumed the grounds of an Aegean coast power plant in Turkey storing thousands of tonnes of coal. 'Where could we go?' An AFP team saw firefighters and police fleeing the 35-year-old Kemerkoy plant in the Aegean province of Mugla as bright balls of orange flames tore through the surrounding hills. Hundreds of villagers -- many clutching small bags of belongings grabbed from their abandoned houses as the evacuation call sounded -- piled onto coastguard speedboats at the nearby port of Oren. The regional authority said "all explosive chemicals" and other hazardous material had been removed from the strategic site. "But there's a risk that the fire could spread to the thousands of tonnes of coal inside," regional mayor Osman Gurun told reporters. A few older villagers in Oren refused to leave the disaster-hit region even while thousands of others were shuttled out by car or boats racing along the Aegean Sea. "Where do you want us to go at our age?" asked 79-year-old Hulusi Kinic. "We live here. This is our home. Our last solution was to throw ourselves in the sea (if there was an explosion), but thank God that did not happen." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said an initial inspection showed the overnight blazes left "no serious damage to the main units in the plant". 'Asking for reinforcements' More than 100 blazes were still burning in Greece and 180 have ignited in Turkey since July 28 -- more than a dozen of them still active on Wednesday night. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said July was the second-hottest on record in Europe. Greece's Hardalias said earlier this week that the ferocity of the fires ravaging the region meant that "we are no longer talking about climate change but a climate threat". The unfolding disasters saw the leaders of both countries come under pressure from local officials for what they felt was an insufficiently resolute response. Also read | Long-lost fragment of Stonehenge reveals rock grains dating to nearly 2 billion years ago "We are asking the authorities to reinforce the air and land forces to so as not to risk human lives," Limni mayor Giorgos Tsapourniotis told Greece's ANA news agency. The Turkish mayor of the town of Milas spent days waging a social media campaign trying to get officials to send firefighting planes that could douse the flames before they engulfed the power plant. Erdogan on the defensive Erdogan has come under especially withering criticism for being slow or unwilling to accept some offers of foreign assistance after revealing that Turkey had no functioning firefighting planes. The crisis has posed an unexpected challenge to the powerful Turkish leader two years before he faces an election that could extend his rule into a third decade. Erdogan tried to mount a political counterattack in a television interview Wednesday that began just as news broke that the fire had reached the Aegean power plant. "When fires break out in America or Russia, (the opposition) stands by the government, We don't have this," Erdogan said. The prosecutors' office in Ankara said Thursday it has launched an investigation into social media posts about the fire that were "trying to create anxiety, fear and panic in the public, and to humiliate the Turkish government".

Turkey and Greece reel from raging wildfires during heatwave

Greece is being hit by its worst heatwave in more than 30 years. The heatwave is expected to peak early this week.

Greece hit by worst heatwave in more than 30 years

In&nbsp;Athens' parliament square, the Evzones parade under their red berets and stifling heat.

With sweat beading on their foreheads, the presidential guards rehearse their choreography in front of a cluster of tourists as a new&nbsp;heatwave&nbsp;hits&nbsp;the Greek capital.

"They're amazing, but they must be suffering," says Jim Grace, an Irish tourist who, holding a bottle of water, watches them under the scorching sun.

"We're adapting," says his wife Esther Grace. "We're drinking lots of water and putting on sunscreen."

Dubbed a "dangerous" event due to how long it will last and the small difference between maximum and minimum temperatures, the&nbsp;heatwave&nbsp;is expected to peak on Monday, with temperatures likely reaching 42 to 44 degrees Celsius (107 to 111 degrees Fahrenheit).

It's the second one this year, part of a trend of more frequent heatwaves and rising average temperatures that prompted the municipality of&nbsp;Athens&nbsp;to appoint a climate officer earlier this month to try and mitigate the heat.

'There are solutions'

On Monastiraki Square, Alexandra Holarou drags her cart full of sweets through tourists trying on caps and straw hats.&nbsp;

"I'm going to die in this heat," she says.

Her face red, the 60-year-old shopkeeper sets up a parasol but "there are not many options to protect oneself," she says.&nbsp;

"It's hard, very hard to work in these conditions."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-place-is-safe-reveal-scientists-amid-unprecedented-heatwave-in-parts-of-us-and-canada-395939">Also read |&nbsp;No place is safe, reveal scientists amid unprecedented heatwave in parts of US and Canada</a>

Passers-by stay close to the walls in search of shade and air conditioning that blasts out from shops.&nbsp;

The café terraces are oases where water misters and fans are running at full speed.&nbsp;

"We weren't really prepared," confesses Frenchman Nicolas Deshayes.&nbsp;

"We left this morning from Paris where it was 15 degrees."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Eleni Myrivili,&nbsp;Athens' climate officer, tells AFP the situation will only worsen if nothing is done.

"By 2050, the number of rainy days will have dropped by 12 percent and the temperature will have risen by 2.5 degrees," she says.

But she adds "there are solutions" such as developing green spaces in a city that looks like a sea of concrete, helping vulnerable people and raising public awareness.

"We need to rethink the public space as a whole because the consequences affect the health of our population and the economy of our country," she says.

"There are more workplace accidents with the rise in temperatures and people go to shops less."&nbsp;

Second&nbsp;heatwave&nbsp;of the summer&nbsp;

Greece has already experienced a&nbsp;heatwave&nbsp;earlier this summer, when temperatures reached 44 degrees Celsius for 11 days.

According to data from the National Observatory of&nbsp;Athens, this was the fifth longest&nbsp;heatwave&nbsp;in Greece in 40 years.&nbsp;

"These climatic phenomena are becoming more and more frequent," Konstantinos Lagouvardos, the observatory's director of meteorological research, says.&nbsp;

"Beyond the heatwaves, the most worrying thing is that average temperatures are rising considerably summer after summer.&nbsp;

"The average for&nbsp;Athens&nbsp;is now 34-35 degrees, which is two degrees higher than in previous years," he says.

"This is already the second&nbsp;heatwave&nbsp;of the summer, a third would be an unprecedented event."&nbsp;

Several municipalities have opened air-conditioned shelters for the homeless and vulnerable.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Piraeus, at a short distance from the port where tourists escape to the islands, about 15 people come every day to find a little respite in one such centre.

"This is the fourth time we've opened an air-conditioned space this year," says Argyro Koika, a social worker at the centre.

The Ministry of Civil Protection has recommended protecting oneself from the sun by staying in shaded and air-conditioned places, avoiding physical activities and drinking water regularly.&nbsp;

In Athens' parliament square, the Evzones parade under their red berets and stifling heat. With sweat beading on their foreheads, the presidential guards rehearse their choreography in front of a cluster of tourists as a new heatwave hits the Greek capital.

In Athens' parliament square, the Evzones parade under their red berets and stifling heat. With sweat beading on their foreheads, the presidential guards rehearse their choreography in front of a cluster of tourists as a new heatwave hits the Greek capital. "They're amazing, but they must be suffering," says Jim Grace, an Irish tourist who, holding a bottle of water, watches them under the scorching sun. "We're adapting," says his wife Esther Grace. "We're drinking lots of water and putting on sunscreen." Dubbed a "dangerous" event due to how long it will last and the small difference between maximum and minimum temperatures, the heatwave is expected to peak on Monday, with temperatures likely reaching 42 to 44 degrees Celsius (107 to 111 degrees Fahrenheit). It's the second one this year, part of a trend of more frequent heatwaves and rising average temperatures that prompted the municipality of Athens to appoint a climate officer earlier this month to try and mitigate the heat. 'There are solutions' On Monastiraki Square, Alexandra Holarou drags her cart full of sweets through tourists trying on caps and straw hats. "I'm going to die in this heat," she says. Her face red, the 60-year-old shopkeeper sets up a parasol but "there are not many options to protect oneself," she says. "It's hard, very hard to work in these conditions." Also read | No place is safe, reveal scientists amid unprecedented heatwave in parts of US and Canada Passers-by stay close to the walls in search of shade and air conditioning that blasts out from shops. The café terraces are oases where water misters and fans are running at full speed. "We weren't really prepared," confesses Frenchman Nicolas Deshayes. "We left this morning from Paris where it was 15 degrees." Eleni Myrivili, Athens' climate officer, tells AFP the situation will only worsen if nothing is done. "By 2050, the number of rainy days will have dropped by 12 percent and the temperature will have risen by 2.5 degrees," she says. But she adds "there are solutions" such as developing green spaces in a city that looks like a sea of concrete, helping vulnerable people and raising public awareness. "We need to rethink the public space as a whole because the consequences affect the health of our population and the economy of our country," she says. "There are more workplace accidents with the rise in temperatures and people go to shops less." Second heatwave of the summer Greece has already experienced a heatwave earlier this summer, when temperatures reached 44 degrees Celsius for 11 days. According to data from the National Observatory of Athens, this was the fifth longest heatwave in Greece in 40 years. "These climatic phenomena are becoming more and more frequent," Konstantinos Lagouvardos, the observatory's director of meteorological research, says. "Beyond the heatwaves, the most worrying thing is that average temperatures are rising considerably summer after summer. "The average for Athens is now 34-35 degrees, which is two degrees higher than in previous years," he says. "This is already the second heatwave of the summer, a third would be an unprecedented event." Several municipalities have opened air-conditioned shelters for the homeless and vulnerable. In Piraeus, at a short distance from the port where tourists escape to the islands, about 15 people come every day to find a little respite in one such centre. "This is the fourth time we've opened an air-conditioned space this year," says Argyro Koika, a social worker at the centre. The Ministry of Civil Protection has recommended protecting oneself from the sun by staying in shaded and air-conditioned places, avoiding physical activities and drinking water regularly.

'Dangerous' heatwave hits Athens again

In a disturbing video posted by the nature conservation group Columbia Riverkeeper, sockeye salmon fishes&nbsp;can be seen with fuzzy-looking white patches on their body.

According to the group, the white spots are the result of fungal infection caused by stress-reaction to the recent heatwave.

Sadly, the fish in question, Snake River sockeye Salmon have been listed on the Endangered Species list and dangerously close to extinction. In 1991, they were listed for Federal protection.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/why-are-climate-mysteries-puzzling-worlds-leading-scientists-400037">Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists?</a>

The reason behind this intense heating up of water has been attributed to the heatwave that Canada and the US have been grappling with in recent days.

However, the NGO says that besides the heatwave, the dams on the rivers Columbia and Snake are also to blame.&nbsp;They contend that Dams on the Columbia and Lower Snake rivers create large, stagnant reservoirs that capture the sun's energy and make the water too hot for salmon.&nbsp;

<img alt="Columbia river basin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1cfe2e14-4b18-4b94-93a0-8dac33b3e148" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/map%20of%20columbia%20river%20basin.png" />

Map of the Columbia River Basin. Purple oval shows the mouth of the Little White Salmon River. Red stars show major sockeye spawning areas. Black dashes show large hydroelectric dams.&nbsp; (Image: columbiariverkeeper.org)&nbsp;

Don Sampson of&nbsp;Northwest Tribal Salmon Alliance calls it a "salmon crisis".

In another video posted by the conservation group while calling for Congress to take action, Sampson says that "the sockeye here are dying. They are suffocating. You can see they are in lethally hot water."

At 71 degrees Fahrenheit, current water temperatures in the Columbia River are much higher than the legal limit of 68 degrees F. Scientists set this limit to protect salmon from unsafe temperatures.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The salmon are dying. They’re suffering and suffocating in hot water created by dams. 
 
But we can stop this. We can remove the lower four Snake River Dams and restore cool, clean water. 
 
Share this video, sign the petition, save the salmon.<a href="https://t.co/qP2qsplWxS">https://t.co/qP2qsplWxS</a> <a href="https://t.co/cRUck3cQ48">pic.twitter.com/cRUck3cQ48</a>
— Columbia Riverkeeper (@ColumbiaRKeeper) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColumbiaRKeeper/status/1420066199744876545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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An earlier study found that eight major dams in the Columbia Basin fundamentally alter salmon temperature and flow.&nbsp;

The Columbia&nbsp;River is an important migratory route for salmon, which travel up the river&nbsp;to spawn in mountain lakes in the Okanogan, Yakima, and Snake River systems&nbsp;before returning downstream.&nbsp;

As noted by the National Wildlife Federation, 13 species of salmon and steelhead have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since the final construction of the Lower Snake River dams in the 1970s.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/many-leaders-slept-on-climate-crisis-will-they-act-on-what-they-feel-on-their-skins-now-398704" hreflang="en">Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now?</a>

According to a press release by Columbia riverkeepers, earlier in 2015, approximately 250,000 fish died in the Columbia and Snake rivers, due to hot water. Many of those fish sought refuge in the Little White Salmon River and nearby tributaries.&nbsp;

Researchers predict this type of fish kill will become more common if dams and climate change continue to warm the rivers. Sockeye will likely go extinct if the issue isn't addressed on time.

A number of fishing groups, tribal nations, and conservation organizations are calling on the Pacific Northwest congressional delegation to protect sockeye salmon by breaching the four lower Snake River dams.

In a disturbing video posted by the nature conservation group Columbia Riverkeeper, sockeye salmon fishes can be seen with fuzzy-looking white patches on their body.

In a disturbing video posted by the nature conservation group Columbia Riverkeeper, sockeye salmon fishes can be seen with fuzzy-looking white patches on their body. According to the group, the white spots are the result of fungal infection caused by stress-reaction to the recent heatwave. Sadly, the fish in question, Snake River sockeye Salmon have been listed on the Endangered Species list and dangerously close to extinction. In 1991, they were listed for Federal protection. Also read | Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists? The reason behind this intense heating up of water has been attributed to the heatwave that Canada and the US have been grappling with in recent days. However, the NGO says that besides the heatwave, the dams on the rivers Columbia and Snake are also to blame. They contend that Dams on the Columbia and Lower Snake rivers create large, stagnant reservoirs that capture the sun's energy and make the water too hot for salmon. Map of the Columbia River Basin. Purple oval shows the mouth of the Little White Salmon River. Red stars show major sockeye spawning areas. Black dashes show large hydroelectric dams. (Image: columbiariverkeeper.org) Don Sampson of Northwest Tribal Salmon Alliance calls it a "salmon crisis". In another video posted by the conservation group while calling for Congress to take action, Sampson says that "the sockeye here are dying. They are suffocating. You can see they are in lethally hot water." At 71 degrees Fahrenheit, current water temperatures in the Columbia River are much higher than the legal limit of 68 degrees F. Scientists set this limit to protect salmon from unsafe temperatures. The salmon are dying. They’re suffering and suffocating in hot water created by dams. But we can stop this. We can remove the lower four Snake River Dams and restore cool, clean water. Share this video, sign the petition, save the salmon.https://t.co/qP2qsplWxS pic.twitter.com/cRUck3cQ48 — Columbia Riverkeeper (@ColumbiaRKeeper) July 27, 2021 × An earlier study found that eight major dams in the Columbia Basin fundamentally alter salmon temperature and flow. The Columbia River is an important migratory route for salmon, which travel up the river to spawn in mountain lakes in the Okanogan, Yakima, and Snake River systems before returning downstream. As noted by the National Wildlife Federation, 13 species of salmon and steelhead have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since the final construction of the Lower Snake River dams in the 1970s. Also read| Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now? According to a press release by Columbia riverkeepers, earlier in 2015, approximately 250,000 fish died in the Columbia and Snake rivers, due to hot water. Many of those fish sought refuge in the Little White Salmon River and nearby tributaries. Researchers predict this type of fish kill will become more common if dams and climate change continue to warm the rivers. Sockeye will likely go extinct if the issue isn't addressed on time. A number of fishing groups, tribal nations, and conservation organizations are calling on the Pacific Northwest congressional delegation to protect sockeye salmon by breaching the four lower Snake River dams.

White patches: Heatwave causes unlivable water temperatures for salmon, claims NGO

Climate 'mysteries' are still puzzling the&nbsp;world's leading&nbsp;scientists the most despite making progress.

Heatwaves are&nbsp;one of the ''major mysteries'' science&nbsp;still has to unravel&nbsp;even as researchers are able to pinpoint with increasing accuracy exactly how human fossil fuel pollution is warming the planet and altering the climate

This&nbsp;particularly includes the tendency of current models to underestimate the intensity of these bursts of deadly, searing temperature.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-climate-change-super-charges-wildfires-399570/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to climatologist Robert Vautard, ''Today we have better climate projection models, and longer observations with a much clearer signal of climate change.''

Vautard is one of the authors of an upcoming assessment by the United Nations' panel of climate experts.&nbsp;

The assessment, the first part of a trio of reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), will be released on August 9 at the end of meetings starting Monday.

It focuses on the&nbsp;science&nbsp;underpinning our understanding of things like temperature increases, rising ocean levels and extreme weather events.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/many-leaders-slept-on-climate-crisis-will-they-act-on-what-they-feel-on-their-skins-now-398704" hreflang="en">Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now?</a>

This has progressed considerably since the last assessment in 2014, but so has climate change itself, with effects being felt ever more forcefully across the planet.&nbsp;

Scientists now have a greater understanding of the mechanisms behind "extreme phenomena, which now occur almost every week around the world", said Vautard, adding that this helps better quantify how these events will play out in the future.

In almost real time, researchers can pinpoint the role of climate change in a given disaster, something they were unable to do at all until very recently.

Now, so-called "attribution"&nbsp;science&nbsp;means we can say how probable an extreme weather event would have been had the climate not been changing at all.&nbsp;

For example, within days of the extraordinary "heat dome" that scorched the western United States and Canada at the end of June, scientists from the World Weather Attribution calculated that the heatwave would have been "almost impossible" without warming.&nbsp;

Despite these advances, Vautard said "major mysteries remain".&nbsp;

Scientists are still unsure what part clouds play "in the energy balance of the planet" and their influence on the climate's sensitivity to greenhouse gases, he said.&nbsp;

But it is "phenomenal temperatures", like those recorded in June in Canada or in Europe in 2019, that preoccupy the climatologist.&nbsp;

"What worries me the most are the heat waves" and the "thousands of deaths" they cause, said Vautard, who is director of France's Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, a climate research and teaching centre.&nbsp;

With rainfall, scientists have a physical law that says water vapour increases by seven percent for every degree of warming, he said, with intense precipitation increasing by about the same amount.&nbsp;

But extreme heat is harder to predict.&nbsp;

"We know that heatwaves are more frequent, but we also know that our models underestimate the increasing intensity of these heatwaves, particularly in Europe, by a factor of two," he said.

Climate models have come a long way, even since 2014, but there is still room for improvement to reduce these uncertainties.&nbsp;

"Before we had models that represented the major phenomena in the atmosphere, in the oceans," said Vautard.&nbsp;

Today the models divide the planet's surface into grids, with each square around 10 kilometres (six miles).&nbsp;

But even now he said the "resolution of the models is not sufficient" for very localised phenomena.&nbsp;

The next generation of models should be able to add even more detail, going down to an area of about a kilometre.&nbsp;

That would give researchers a much better understanding of "small scale" events, like tornadoes, hail or storm systems that bring intense rain like those seen in parts of the Mediterranean in 2020.

Even on a global scale, some fundamental questions remain.&nbsp;

Perhaps one of the most ominous climate concepts to have become better understood in recent years is that of "tipping points".&nbsp;

These could be triggered for example by the melting of the ice caps or the decline of the Amazon rainforest, potentially swinging the climate system into dramatic and irreversible changes.&nbsp;

There are still "a lot of uncertainties and mysteries" about tipping points, Vautard said, including what level of temperature rise might set them off.&nbsp;

Currently, they are seen as low probability events, but he said that it is still crucial to know more about them given the "irreversible consequences on the scale of millennia" that they could cause.&nbsp;

Another crucial uncertainty is the state of the world's forests and oceans, which absorb about half of the CO2 emitted by humans.&nbsp;

"Will this carbon sink function continue to be effective or not?" Vautard said.

If they stop absorbing carbon,&nbsp;as has been found in areas of the Amazon, for example,&nbsp;then more C02 will accumulate in the atmosphere, raising temperatures even further.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"It is a concern," said Vautard.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Climate 'mysteries' are still puzzling the world's leading scientists the most despite making progress. Heatwaves are one of the ''major mysteries'' science still has to unravel even as researchers are able to pinpoint with increasing accuracy exactly how human fossil fuel pollution is warming the planet and altering the climate This particularly includes the tendency of current models to underestimate the intensity of these bursts of deadly, searing temperature.

Climate 'mysteries' are still puzzling the world's leading scientists the most despite making progress. Heatwaves are one of the ''major mysteries'' science still has to unravel even as researchers are able to pinpoint with increasing accuracy exactly how human fossil fuel pollution is warming the planet and altering the climate This particularly includes the tendency of current models to underestimate the intensity of these bursts of deadly, searing temperature. According to climatologist Robert Vautard, ''Today we have better climate projection models, and longer observations with a much clearer signal of climate change.'' Vautard is one of the authors of an upcoming assessment by the United Nations' panel of climate experts. The assessment, the first part of a trio of reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), will be released on August 9 at the end of meetings starting Monday. It focuses on the science underpinning our understanding of things like temperature increases, rising ocean levels and extreme weather events. Also read| Many leaders slept on climate crisis. Will they act on what they feel on their skins now? This has progressed considerably since the last assessment in 2014, but so has climate change itself, with effects being felt ever more forcefully across the planet. Scientists now have a greater understanding of the mechanisms behind "extreme phenomena, which now occur almost every week around the world", said Vautard, adding that this helps better quantify how these events will play out in the future. In almost real time, researchers can pinpoint the role of climate change in a given disaster, something they were unable to do at all until very recently. Now, so-called "attribution" science means we can say how probable an extreme weather event would have been had the climate not been changing at all. For example, within days of the extraordinary "heat dome" that scorched the western United States and Canada at the end of June, scientists from the World Weather Attribution calculated that the heatwave would have been "almost impossible" without warming. Despite these advances, Vautard said "major mysteries remain". Scientists are still unsure what part clouds play "in the energy balance of the planet" and their influence on the climate's sensitivity to greenhouse gases, he said. But it is "phenomenal temperatures", like those recorded in June in Canada or in Europe in 2019, that preoccupy the climatologist. "What worries me the most are the heat waves" and the "thousands of deaths" they cause, said Vautard, who is director of France's Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute, a climate research and teaching centre. With rainfall, scientists have a physical law that says water vapour increases by seven percent for every degree of warming, he said, with intense precipitation increasing by about the same amount. But extreme heat is harder to predict. "We know that heatwaves are more frequent, but we also know that our models underestimate the increasing intensity of these heatwaves, particularly in Europe, by a factor of two," he said. Climate models have come a long way, even since 2014, but there is still room for improvement to reduce these uncertainties. "Before we had models that represented the major phenomena in the atmosphere, in the oceans," said Vautard. Today the models divide the planet's surface into grids, with each square around 10 kilometres (six miles). But even now he said the "resolution of the models is not sufficient" for very localised phenomena. The next generation of models should be able to add even more detail, going down to an area of about a kilometre. That would give researchers a much better understanding of "small scale" events, like tornadoes, hail or storm systems that bring intense rain like those seen in parts of the Mediterranean in 2020. Even on a global scale, some fundamental questions remain. Perhaps one of the most ominous climate concepts to have become better understood in recent years is that of "tipping points". These could be triggered for example by the melting of the ice caps or the decline of the Amazon rainforest, potentially swinging the climate system into dramatic and irreversible changes. There are still "a lot of uncertainties and mysteries" about tipping points, Vautard said, including what level of temperature rise might set them off. Currently, they are seen as low probability events, but he said that it is still crucial to know more about them given the "irreversible consequences on the scale of millennia" that they could cause. Another crucial uncertainty is the state of the world's forests and oceans, which absorb about half of the CO2 emitted by humans. "Will this carbon sink function continue to be effective or not?" Vautard said. If they stop absorbing carbon, as has been found in areas of the Amazon, for example, then more C02 will accumulate in the atmosphere, raising temperatures even further. "It is a concern," said Vautard. (With inputs from agencies)

Why are climate 'mysteries' puzzling world's leading scientists?

The risk of heat stroke stems not just from rising temperatures, but from more humidity — which prevents sweat from evaporating as quickly, making it harder to cool down.

Sacred site under deadly heat threat

In a recent development, temperatures in Northern Ireland hit record-breaking heights on Saturday as thermometers soared above 30C. Recording a temperature of 31.

In a recent development, temperatures in Northern Ireland hit record-breaking heights on Saturday as thermometers soared above 30C. Recording a temperature of 31.2C, it was the hottest day on record with Ballywatticock, near Newtownards in County Down. The previous high was 30.8C set in the summers of 1976 and 1983. Today is provisionally the hottest day ever recorded in Northern Ireland 📈 😮 Ballywatticock in County Down reached 31.2 °C at 15.40 🌡️ Previously, 30.8 °C was the highest #temperature recorded in Northern Ireland, reached on 12th July 1983 and 30th June 1976 #heatwave pic.twitter.com/pFIDwHmCvG — Met Office (@metoffice) July 17, 2021 × The situation is not just like this in Ireland as the hottest day of the year so far has been provisionally recorded in the other three UK nations too. In England, 30.7C was recorded at Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire; in Wales, Usk in Monmouthshire reached 29C, and in Scotland, 28.2C was recorded in Threave in the Dumfries and Galloway region. In any direct #sunshine today #UV levels will be very high across much of England and Wales ☀️ If you are outside, remember to stay protected in the sun 😎 You can find more advice here 👉 https://t.co/yktBBaIfq6 pic.twitter.com/H2zpoxobwt — Met Office (@metoffice) July 18, 2021 × Also read | No place is safe, reveal scientists amid unprecedented heatwave in parts of US and Canada Meanwhile, climate scientists have said that no place is safe from the kind of extreme heat events that have hit the western US and Canada in recent days. Being deemed as a 'heat dome', it has caused temperatures to rise to almost 50C in Canada and has been linked to hundreds of deaths, melted power lines, buckled roads, and wildfires. Michael E Mann, professor of atmospheric science at Pennsylvania State University and author of The New Climate War, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "We should take this very seriously … You warm up the planet, you’re going to see an increased incidence of heat extreme. Climate models are actually underestimating the impact that climate change is having on events like the unprecedented heatwave we are witnessing out west right now".

Hottest day recorded in Northern Ireland as temperatures soar above 30C

Russia's meteorological service said Tuesday the country could see its hottest summer on record, driven by climate change, after a record-breaking heatwave in June.

Moscow was hit by a historic heatwave at the end of June, with temperatures reaching a 120-year record.&nbsp;

"We estimate that temperatures will be high in the country both in the second half of July and August," meteorologist Roman Vilfand of the Rosgidromet agency said at a press conference.&nbsp;

He added that it was "of course possible" that it will be the hottest summer ever recorded in Russia.

Vilfand said the average temperature in the European part of Russia was the highest since records began 130 years ago.

Russia as a whole saw its hottest June since 2012.

Vilfand said that not all of the country was affected by the heatwave, saying there were "swathes of cold in western Siberia."&nbsp;

He also explained that climate change is leading to a shift in atmospheric circulation, due to significant temperature contrasts between the country's Arctic and southern regions.

"There are more and more anticyclones in northern regions which increases the risk of fires," he said.&nbsp;

According to many scientists, Russia -- especially its Siberian and Arctic regions -- is among the countries most exposed to climate change.&nbsp;

Russia has set numerous records in recent years and in June 2020 registered 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in the town of Verkhoyansk -- the highest temperature recorded above the Arctic circle since measurements began.

The rising mercury levels have contributed to devastating floods and forest fires that have affected Siberia with increasing regularity.

They are also contributing to the melting of permafrost, which covers about two-thirds of Russia's vast territory.&nbsp;

Russia's meteorological service said Tuesday the country could see its hottest summer on record, driven by climate change, after a record-breaking heatwave in June.

Russia's meteorological service said Tuesday the country could see its hottest summer on record, driven by climate change, after a record-breaking heatwave in June. Moscow was hit by a historic heatwave at the end of June, with temperatures reaching a 120-year record. "We estimate that temperatures will be high in the country both in the second half of July and August," meteorologist Roman Vilfand of the Rosgidromet agency said at a press conference. He added that it was "of course possible" that it will be the hottest summer ever recorded in Russia. Vilfand said the average temperature in the European part of Russia was the highest since records began 130 years ago. Russia as a whole saw its hottest June since 2012. Vilfand said that not all of the country was affected by the heatwave, saying there were "swathes of cold in western Siberia." He also explained that climate change is leading to a shift in atmospheric circulation, due to significant temperature contrasts between the country's Arctic and southern regions. "There are more and more anticyclones in northern regions which increases the risk of fires," he said. According to many scientists, Russia -- especially its Siberian and Arctic regions -- is among the countries most exposed to climate change. Russia has set numerous records in recent years and in June 2020 registered 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in the town of Verkhoyansk -- the highest temperature recorded above the Arctic circle since measurements began. The rising mercury levels have contributed to devastating floods and forest fires that have affected Siberia with increasing regularity. They are also contributing to the melting of permafrost, which covers about two-thirds of Russia's vast territory.

Russia sizzles in heatwave driven by climate change

Amid record temperatures being inducted across the world, the extreme effects of such radical temperatures are being especially felt in North America and Europe. Now, officials have recovered bodies of migrants who lost their lives to the heat in Arizona's borderlands.

Record temperatures and tricky terrain may have caused the deaths. The Guardian reported that a surge in migrant deaths was also recorded in Texas. Rescue operations have picked up through the border with Mexico.

According to the non-profit group called Humane Borders, 43 sets of human remains have been found in the state's border region. These remains were recovered in just the last month, which was the hottest June ever for the region.

Humane Borders tracks bodies found in Arizona using data from Pima county's medical examiner office.

A mapping coordinator for Humane Borders - Mike Kreyche told The Guardian that not all of those bodies were of people who died in June. Out of the 43, 16 had been dead for just a day, while other 13 had been dead for a week before being found.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/experts-believe-heatwave-killed-1-billion-marine-animals-on-canada-coast-396890" hreflang="en">Experts believe heatwave killed 1 billion marine animals on Canada coast</a>

The data also signals that all the bodies were of migrants and are much higher in number than eported by the Border Patrol.&nbsp;

Kreyche also noted the increase in dead bodies recovered this years as compared to previous years. 127 sets of remains were found during the first half of 2021, as opposed to 96 bodies that were recovered during the same period last year.

The most common cause of death, as listed by officials is "exposure". According to records, the six-month toll this year is higher than of 2017 wherein 123 sets of remains were found along Arizona's border with Mexico.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-pacific-north-west-heatwave-killed-almost-200-people-396895" hreflang="en">US Pacific north-west heatwave killed almost 200 people</a>

According to Texas officials, a surge has been noted in migrant deaths this year. Just last month, Brooks County Sheriff's Department in southern Texas reported 36 migrant deaths in the first five months of 2021, which was higher than all of last year.

Officials have warned of increased dangers this year owing to rising temperatures this summer. Most migrants cross through Texas. But due to strict regulations there, many have been compelled to cross through Arizona, where there is no food or water available.

Amid record temperatures being inducted across the world, the extreme effects of such radical temperatures are being especially felt in North America and Europe.

Amid record temperatures being inducted across the world, the extreme effects of such radical temperatures are being especially felt in North America and Europe. Now, officials have recovered bodies of migrants who lost their lives to the heat in Arizona's borderlands. Record temperatures and tricky terrain may have caused the deaths. The Guardian reported that a surge in migrant deaths was also recorded in Texas. Rescue operations have picked up through the border with Mexico. According to the non-profit group called Humane Borders, 43 sets of human remains have been found in the state's border region. These remains were recovered in just the last month, which was the hottest June ever for the region. Humane Borders tracks bodies found in Arizona using data from Pima county's medical examiner office. A mapping coordinator for Humane Borders - Mike Kreyche told The Guardian that not all of those bodies were of people who died in June. Out of the 43, 16 had been dead for just a day, while other 13 had been dead for a week before being found. Also read: Experts believe heatwave killed 1 billion marine animals on Canada coast The data also signals that all the bodies were of migrants and are much higher in number than eported by the Border Patrol. Kreyche also noted the increase in dead bodies recovered this years as compared to previous years. 127 sets of remains were found during the first half of 2021, as opposed to 96 bodies that were recovered during the same period last year. The most common cause of death, as listed by officials is "exposure". According to records, the six-month toll this year is higher than of 2017 wherein 123 sets of remains were found along Arizona's border with Mexico. Also read: US Pacific north-west heatwave killed almost 200 people According to Texas officials, a surge has been noted in migrant deaths this year. Just last month, Brooks County Sheriff's Department in southern Texas reported 36 migrant deaths in the first five months of 2021, which was higher than all of last year. Officials have warned of increased dangers this year owing to rising temperatures this summer. Most migrants cross through Texas. But due to strict regulations there, many have been compelled to cross through Arizona, where there is no food or water available.

Remains of 43 people killed by heatwave found along US-Mexico border in Arizona: Report

A wildfire in Northern California that continues to grow overnight on Sunday has now partly being contained by the firefighters. The US National weather service has issued heat warnings that will remain in place through Tuesday evening.

California wildfire partly contained by firefighters, mandatory evacuations ordered

Millions of people across the western United States and Canada were hit Sunday by a new round of scorching hot temperatures, with some roads closed, train traffic limited and new evacuations ordered.

In Canada, with wildfires continuing to spread -- including 50 more blazes erupting in the past two days -- the government announced new emergency measures aimed at preventing further fires.

Sweltering conditions hit much of the Pacific seaboard and as far inland as the western edge of the Rocky Mountains over the weekend. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-pacific-north-west-heatwave-killed-almost-200-people-396895">Also read | US Pacific north-west heatwave killed almost 200 people</a> 
 
"A dangerous heatwave will affect much of the western US, with record-breaking temperatures likely," the National Weather Service said on its website Sunday, while Canadian meteorologists predicted highs approaching 90 Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) in parts of western Canada -- well above seasonal norms. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-place-is-safe-reveal-scientists-amid-unprecedented-heatwave-in-parts-of-us-and-canada-395939">Also read | No place is safe, reveal scientists amid unprecedented heatwave in parts of US and Canada</a> 
 
Las Vegas on Saturday matched its record of 117 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) -- a temperature recorded in the desert entertainment city once in 1942 and three other times since 2005.

Sunday was expected to be only a few degrees cooler there, while Death Valley, California -- often the nation's hottest spot -- was headed for a high of 126 degrees Fahrenheit.

Forecasters issued an excessive heat warning for several other urban centres including the southern city of Phoenix and San Jose, the centre of the Silicon Valley tech industry south of San Francisco. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-us-canada-experience-heatwave-un-confirms-record-heat-in-antarctica-395224">Also read |&nbsp;As US &amp; Canada experience heatwave, UN confirms record heat in Antarctica</a>

The weekend's hot weather follows an earlier heat wave that struck the western United States and Canada at the end of June.

The scorching conditions saw the record daily temperature broken three days in a row in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

Warming temperatures

Canadian transport minister Omar Alghabra on Sunday announced new emergency measures aimed at preventing further wildfires in the tinder-dry region, including steps to slow or limit train traffic.

Trains are a common cause of wildfires, often when their spark-arresting devices are poorly maintained.

Several roads and highways in the area have been closed as the government rated the wildfire risk in much of the province as "extreme." A dozen towns or locales remained under evacuation orders.

The Canadian government has sent investigators to the town of Lytton, 150 miles (250 kilometres) northeast of Vancouver, to see whether a passing cargo train might have caused a late June fire that destroyed 90 per cent of the town.

The overall deaths in British Columbia were not yet known but are thought to run into the hundreds.

As of Sunday morning, the number of wildfires across British Columbia was continuing to rise, hitting 298, authorities said.

In the US state of Oregon, the Bootleg Fire more than tripled in size between Friday and Sunday, gaining more than 100,000 acres, according to the US Forest Service.

Last month was the hottest June on record in North America, according to data released by the European Union's climate monitoring service.

Human activity has driven global temperatures up, stoking increasingly fierce storms, extreme heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.

The World Meteorological Organisation and Britain's Met Office said in May there was a 40 per cent chance of the annual average global temperature temporarily surpassing 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures within the next five years.

The past six years, including 2020, have been the six warmest on record.

Millions of people across the western United States and Canada were hit Sunday by a new round of scorching hot temperatures, with some roads closed, train traffic limited and new evacuations ordered.

Millions of people across the western United States and Canada were hit Sunday by a new round of scorching hot temperatures, with some roads closed, train traffic limited and new evacuations ordered. In Canada, with wildfires continuing to spread -- including 50 more blazes erupting in the past two days -- the government announced new emergency measures aimed at preventing further fires. Sweltering conditions hit much of the Pacific seaboard and as far inland as the western edge of the Rocky Mountains over the weekend. Also read | US Pacific north-west heatwave killed almost 200 people "A dangerous heatwave will affect much of the western US, with record-breaking temperatures likely," the National Weather Service said on its website Sunday, while Canadian meteorologists predicted highs approaching 90 Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) in parts of western Canada -- well above seasonal norms. Also read | No place is safe, reveal scientists amid unprecedented heatwave in parts of US and Canada Las Vegas on Saturday matched its record of 117 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) -- a temperature recorded in the desert entertainment city once in 1942 and three other times since 2005. Sunday was expected to be only a few degrees cooler there, while Death Valley, California -- often the nation's hottest spot -- was headed for a high of 126 degrees Fahrenheit. Forecasters issued an excessive heat warning for several other urban centres including the southern city of Phoenix and San Jose, the centre of the Silicon Valley tech industry south of San Francisco. Also read | As US & Canada experience heatwave, UN confirms record heat in Antarctica The weekend's hot weather follows an earlier heat wave that struck the western United States and Canada at the end of June. The scorching conditions saw the record daily temperature broken three days in a row in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Warming temperatures Canadian transport minister Omar Alghabra on Sunday announced new emergency measures aimed at preventing further wildfires in the tinder-dry region, including steps to slow or limit train traffic. Trains are a common cause of wildfires, often when their spark-arresting devices are poorly maintained. Several roads and highways in the area have been closed as the government rated the wildfire risk in much of the province as "extreme." A dozen towns or locales remained under evacuation orders. The Canadian government has sent investigators to the town of Lytton, 150 miles (250 kilometres) northeast of Vancouver, to see whether a passing cargo train might have caused a late June fire that destroyed 90 per cent of the town. The overall deaths in British Columbia were not yet known but are thought to run into the hundreds. As of Sunday morning, the number of wildfires across British Columbia was continuing to rise, hitting 298, authorities said. In the US state of Oregon, the Bootleg Fire more than tripled in size between Friday and Sunday, gaining more than 100,000 acres, according to the US Forest Service. Last month was the hottest June on record in North America, according to data released by the European Union's climate monitoring service. Human activity has driven global temperatures up, stoking increasingly fierce storms, extreme heatwaves, droughts and wildfires. The World Meteorological Organisation and Britain's Met Office said in May there was a 40 per cent chance of the annual average global temperature temporarily surpassing 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial temperatures within the next five years. The past six years, including 2020, have been the six warmest on record.

Millions in the US, Canada hit by new rounds of scorching hot temperatures

As health authorities reported 116 deaths in Oregon and 78 in Washington state, the death toll from the record-breaking heatwave that struck the US Pacific north-west rose to nearly 200.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He added, "But climates are changing, and we see the evidence of that with dramatic weather events, major flooding, historic forest fires, and more".

In Oregon, most deaths were in Portland’s Multnomah county. Many people who died lacked air conditioning or fans.&nbsp;

Oregon governor Kate Brown, directed agencies to review how the state can improve its handling of heat emergencies.&nbsp;

Brown also enacted emergency regulations to protect workers from heat.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-us-canada-experience-heatwave-un-confirms-record-heat-in-antarctica-395224">Also read |&nbsp;As US &amp; Canada experience heatwave, UN confirms record heat in Antarctica</a>

Richard Bann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, was quoted by The Guardian saying, "The Pacific north-west got caught in a region where a series of feedbacks set up these very warm temperatures – no, hot temperatures – with very little cloud cover and very warm temperatures at night too".&nbsp;

Meanwhile, humans are not the only ones affected by the deadly heat. British Columbia scientists, more than 1 billion marine animals along Canada’s Pacific coast are likely to have died from last week’s heatwave.

The heatwave is believed to have killed at least 500 people in Canada, however, it has also had an impact on marine life.

Christopher Harley, a marine biologist at the University of British Columbia, calculated that more than a billion marine animals may have been killed by the unusual heat. As per Harley, a walk along a Vancouver-area beach highlighted the magnitude of devastation brought on by the heatwave.&nbsp;

As per experts, the province needs to adapt to the reality that sudden and sustained heatwaves are likely to become more common. They attributed it to climate change.

As health authorities reported 116 deaths in Oregon and 78 in Washington state, the death toll from the record-breaking heatwave that struck the US Pacific north-west rose to nearly 200.

As health authorities reported 116 deaths in Oregon and 78 in Washington state, the death toll from the record-breaking heatwave that struck the US Pacific north-west rose to nearly 200. He added, "But climates are changing, and we see the evidence of that with dramatic weather events, major flooding, historic forest fires, and more". In Oregon, most deaths were in Portland’s Multnomah county. Many people who died lacked air conditioning or fans. Oregon governor Kate Brown, directed agencies to review how the state can improve its handling of heat emergencies. Brown also enacted emergency regulations to protect workers from heat. Also read | As US & Canada experience heatwave, UN confirms record heat in Antarctica Richard Bann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, was quoted by The Guardian saying, "The Pacific north-west got caught in a region where a series of feedbacks set up these very warm temperatures – no, hot temperatures – with very little cloud cover and very warm temperatures at night too". Meanwhile, humans are not the only ones affected by the deadly heat. British Columbia scientists, more than 1 billion marine animals along Canada’s Pacific coast are likely to have died from last week’s heatwave. The heatwave is believed to have killed at least 500 people in Canada, however, it has also had an impact on marine life. Christopher Harley, a marine biologist at the University of British Columbia, calculated that more than a billion marine animals may have been killed by the unusual heat. As per Harley, a walk along a Vancouver-area beach highlighted the magnitude of devastation brought on by the heatwave. As per experts, the province needs to adapt to the reality that sudden and sustained heatwaves are likely to become more common. They attributed it to climate change.

US Pacific north-west heatwave killed almost 200 people

As per British Columbia scientists, more than 1 billion marine animals along Canada’s Pacific coast are likely to have died from last week’s heatwave.

The heatwave is believed to have killed at least 500 people in Canada, however, it has also had an impact on marine life.

Christopher Harley, a marine biologist at the University of British Columbia, calculated that more than a billion marine animals may have been killed by the unusual heat.

As per Harley, a walk along a Vancouver-area beach highlighted the magnitude of devastation brought on by the heatwave.&nbsp;

He was quoted by the Guardian saying, "The shore doesn’t usually crunch when you walk on it. But there were so many empty mussel shells lying everywhere that you just couldn’t avoid stepping on dead animals while walking around".

He added, "Harley was struck by the smell of rotting mussels, many of which were in effect cooked by the abnormally warm water. Snails, sea stars and clams were decaying in the shallow water. “

It was an overpowering, visceral experience".

Mussels are hardy shellfish, which can tolerate temperatures into the high 30s. Barnacles are sturdier, surviving the mid-40s for at least a few hours.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-heat-wave-british-columbia-sees-195-increase-in-sudden-deaths-with-486-cases-reported-395117">Also read |&nbsp;Canada heat wave: British Columbia sees 195% increase in sudden deaths with 486 cases reported</a>

As per Harley, the mass death of Shellfish would temporarily affect water quality because mussels and clams help filter the sea.

Also, they keep it clear enough that sunlight reaches the eelgrass beds, creating habitats for other species.&nbsp;

Harley also received reports from colleagues of dead sea anemones, rockfish and oysters.

As per experts, the province needs to adapt to the reality that sudden and sustained heatwaves are likely to become more common. They attributed it to climate change.

The Guardian quoted Harley saying, "“The nerdy ecologist part of me is excited to see what will happen in the coming years."

He added, “But most of the rest of me is kind of depressed by it. A lot of species are not going to be able to keep up with the pace of change. Ecosystems are going to change in ways that are really difficult to predict. We don’t know where the tipping points are.”

As per British Columbia scientists, more than 1 billion marine animals along Canada’s Pacific coast are likely to have died from last week’s heatwave. The heatwave is believed to have killed at least 500 people in Canada, however, it has also had an impact on marine life.

As per British Columbia scientists, more than 1 billion marine animals along Canada’s Pacific coast are likely to have died from last week’s heatwave. The heatwave is believed to have killed at least 500 people in Canada, however, it has also had an impact on marine life. Christopher Harley, a marine biologist at the University of British Columbia, calculated that more than a billion marine animals may have been killed by the unusual heat. As per Harley, a walk along a Vancouver-area beach highlighted the magnitude of devastation brought on by the heatwave. He was quoted by the Guardian saying, "The shore doesn’t usually crunch when you walk on it. But there were so many empty mussel shells lying everywhere that you just couldn’t avoid stepping on dead animals while walking around". He added, "Harley was struck by the smell of rotting mussels, many of which were in effect cooked by the abnormally warm water. Snails, sea stars and clams were decaying in the shallow water. “ It was an overpowering, visceral experience". Mussels are hardy shellfish, which can tolerate temperatures into the high 30s. Barnacles are sturdier, surviving the mid-40s for at least a few hours. Also read | Canada heat wave: British Columbia sees 195% increase in sudden deaths with 486 cases reported As per Harley, the mass death of Shellfish would temporarily affect water quality because mussels and clams help filter the sea. Also, they keep it clear enough that sunlight reaches the eelgrass beds, creating habitats for other species. Harley also received reports from colleagues of dead sea anemones, rockfish and oysters. As per experts, the province needs to adapt to the reality that sudden and sustained heatwaves are likely to become more common. They attributed it to climate change. The Guardian quoted Harley saying, "“The nerdy ecologist part of me is excited to see what will happen in the coming years." He added, “But most of the rest of me is kind of depressed by it. A lot of species are not going to be able to keep up with the pace of change. Ecosystems are going to change in ways that are really difficult to predict. We don’t know where the tipping points are.”

Experts believe heatwave killed 1 billion marine animals on Canada coast

The climate monitoring service of the European Union (EU) reported June 2020 as the hottest ever recorded in North America, with a deadly heatwave engulfing parts of the continent. It says the record heat reflects global warming's impact on the Earth.

Record-breaking heat hit the Southwest, Northwest&nbsp;US reaching Canada, where three days in a row, British Columbia broke its all-time record daily temperature.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-heat-wave-british-columbia-sees-195-increase-in-sudden-deaths-with-486-cases-reported-395117">Canada heat wave: British Columbia sees 195% increase in sudden deaths with 486 cases reported</a>

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that the region was 1.2 degrees Celsius (34.2 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer in June than it had been from 1991 to 2020.

According to Julien Nicolas, a C3S climate scientist, these heatwaves are not isolated events. As per experts, a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/climate-change">warming climate </a>makes them more likely to occur.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-to-know-about-the-heat-wave-394925">What to know about the heat wave</a>

On a global scale, June 2021 will be the fourth hottest month, following the same month in 2018.

While northern Siberia also experienced one of the hottest summers on record, June was the second warmest on record for Europe.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-place-is-safe-reveal-scientists-amid-unprecedented-heatwave-in-parts-of-us-and-canada-395939">No place is safe, reveal scientists amid unprecedented heatwave in parts of US and Canada</a>

According to Nicolas, there is already widespread understanding that heatwaves are occurring more frequently, more intense, and longer bursts than in the past.

Last month's heatwaves across the US, western Russia, and northern Siberia are the latest in what he says will be a trend that will continue into the future.&nbsp;

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<h3>A life-threatening situation</h3>

In addition to unusually dry conditions in these regions, both wildfires and heat <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/home-for-polar-bears-is-vulnerable-to-warming-says-study-395268">"posed threats to life,"</a> according to a C3S report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Many fires raged across Canada over the past few days due to the deadly heatwave and dry conditions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/wildfire-ravages-canada-amid-record-heat-396331">Wildfire ravages Canada amid record heat</a>

Carlo Buontempo, the director of C3S, says that what's happening in Canada is a big leap in comparison to the previous records.

In his opinion, the recent heatwaves are a powerful reminder of the possible impacts climate change could have on our lives. As part of the 2015 Paris Agreement, the rise in global temperatures is to be limited to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius, and 1.5 degrees, if possible. However, global temperatures have already witnessed an increase of some 1.1 degrees Celsius so far due to human activity, increasing fierce storms, extreme heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires.

There stands a 40 per cent chance that global temperatures are on course to surpass 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels within five years, according to the World Meteorological Organization and Britain's Met Office.

The climate monitoring service of the European Union (EU) reported June 2020 as the hottest ever recorded in North America, with a deadly heatwave engulfing parts of the continent.

The climate monitoring service of the European Union (EU) reported June 2020 as the hottest ever recorded in North America, with a deadly heatwave engulfing parts of the continent. It says the record heat reflects global warming's impact on the Earth. Record-breaking heat hit the Southwest, Northwest US reaching Canada, where three days in a row, British Columbia broke its all-time record daily temperature. Also read | Canada heat wave: British Columbia sees 195% increase in sudden deaths with 486 cases reported The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that the region was 1.2 degrees Celsius (34.2 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer in June than it had been from 1991 to 2020. According to Julien Nicolas, a C3S climate scientist, these heatwaves are not isolated events. As per experts, a warming climate makes them more likely to occur. Also read | What to know about the heat wave On a global scale, June 2021 will be the fourth hottest month, following the same month in 2018. While northern Siberia also experienced one of the hottest summers on record, June was the second warmest on record for Europe. Also read | No place is safe, reveal scientists amid unprecedented heatwave in parts of US and Canada According to Nicolas, there is already widespread understanding that heatwaves are occurring more frequently, more intense, and longer bursts than in the past. Last month's heatwaves across the US, western Russia, and northern Siberia are the latest in what he says will be a trend that will continue into the future. A life-threatening situation In addition to unusually dry conditions in these regions, both wildfires and heat "posed threats to life," according to a C3S report. Many fires raged across Canada over the past few days due to the deadly heatwave and dry conditions. Also read | Wildfire ravages Canada amid record heat Carlo Buontempo, the director of C3S, says that what's happening in Canada is a big leap in comparison to the previous records. In his opinion, the recent heatwaves are a powerful reminder of the possible impacts climate change could have on our lives. As part of the 2015 Paris Agreement, the rise in global temperatures is to be limited to "well below" 2 degrees Celsius, and 1.5 degrees, if possible. However, global temperatures have already witnessed an increase of some 1.1 degrees Celsius so far due to human activity, increasing fierce storms, extreme heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires. There stands a 40 per cent chance that global temperatures are on course to surpass 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels within five years, according to the World Meteorological Organization and Britain's Met Office.

Heatwave: North America witnesses hottest June on record

The unprecedented heatwave baking the Pacific Northwest has claimed as many as 700 lives over the last one week in Canada alone, according to officials.

Another intense heatwave to roast Canada, Western US

In a new revelation, climate scientists have said that no place is safe from the kind of extreme heat events that have hit the western US and Canada in recent days.&nbsp;

Being deemed as a 'heat dome', it has caused temperatures to rise to almost 50C in Canada and has been linked to hundreds of deaths, melted power lines, buckled roads and wildfires.&nbsp;

At least 300 sudden deaths have been reported in Canada, as the country recorded its highest ever temperature amid scorching conditions that extended to the US Pacific Northwest.

Sir David King, the former UK chief scientific adviser, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "Nowhere is safe … who would have predicted a temperature of 48/49C in British Columbia?”. He added, "The risks have been understood and known for so long and we have not acted, now we have a very narrow timeline for us to manage the problem".

At the US west coast, Seattle and Portland registered consecutive days of exceptional heat.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-us-canada-experience-heatwave-un-confirms-record-heat-in-antarctica-395224">Also read |&nbsp;As US &amp; Canada experience heatwave, UN confirms record heat in Antarctica</a>

The local authorities said that they were investigating about a dozen deaths in Washington and Oregon that could be because of the high temperatures.&nbsp;

Michael E Mann, professor of atmospheric science at Pennsylvania State University and author of The New Climate War, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "We should take this very seriously … You warm up the planet, you’re going to see an increased incidence of heat extreme. Climate models are actually underestimating the impact that climate change is having on events like the unprecedented heatwave we are witnessing out west right now".

He further highlighted that climate was being destabilised in part by the global warming of the Arctic. He said that the existing climate models were failing to capture the scale of what was happening.

Meanwhile, as an unprecedented heatwave ripped across the United States and Canada, the UN recognised a new record high temperature for Antarctica at 18.3 degrees Celsius (64.9 degrees Fahrenheit) which occurred last year.

"Verification of this maximum temperature record is important because it helps us to build up a picture of the weather and climate in one of Earth's final frontiers," Petteri Taala, UN's World Meteorological Organization secretary-general said.

In a new revelation, climate scientists have said that no place is safe from the kind of extreme heat events that have hit the western US and Canada in recent days.

In a new revelation, climate scientists have said that no place is safe from the kind of extreme heat events that have hit the western US and Canada in recent days. Being deemed as a 'heat dome', it has caused temperatures to rise to almost 50C in Canada and has been linked to hundreds of deaths, melted power lines, buckled roads and wildfires. At least 300 sudden deaths have been reported in Canada, as the country recorded its highest ever temperature amid scorching conditions that extended to the US Pacific Northwest. Sir David King, the former UK chief scientific adviser, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "Nowhere is safe … who would have predicted a temperature of 48/49C in British Columbia?”. He added, "The risks have been understood and known for so long and we have not acted, now we have a very narrow timeline for us to manage the problem". At the US west coast, Seattle and Portland registered consecutive days of exceptional heat. Also read | As US & Canada experience heatwave, UN confirms record heat in Antarctica The local authorities said that they were investigating about a dozen deaths in Washington and Oregon that could be because of the high temperatures. Michael E Mann, professor of atmospheric science at Pennsylvania State University and author of The New Climate War, was quoted by the Guardian saying, "We should take this very seriously … You warm up the planet, you’re going to see an increased incidence of heat extreme. Climate models are actually underestimating the impact that climate change is having on events like the unprecedented heatwave we are witnessing out west right now". He further highlighted that climate was being destabilised in part by the global warming of the Arctic. He said that the existing climate models were failing to capture the scale of what was happening. Meanwhile, as an unprecedented heatwave ripped across the United States and Canada, the UN recognised a new record high temperature for Antarctica at 18.3 degrees Celsius (64.9 degrees Fahrenheit) which occurred last year. "Verification of this maximum temperature record is important because it helps us to build up a picture of the weather and climate in one of Earth's final frontiers," Petteri Taala, UN's World Meteorological Organization secretary-general said.

No place is safe, reveal scientists amid unprecedented heatwave in parts of US and Canada

Inside one of Vancouver's 25 air-conditioned cooling centers on Wednesday, visitors quietly read books or worked on laptops as the death toll in&nbsp;Canada's British Columbia province rose into the hundreds from a record-smashing heat wave.

"We've had heat waves before, but not to this extent," said Lou, who provided only her first name. "I'm shocked by how many deaths there have been."

"I have no air conditioning, only a fan at home -- I came here just to work where it's cool."

Canada's westernmost province has been scorched for days by record-smashing heat that reached 49.5 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit) in Lytton, three hours northeast of Vancouver, on Tuesday, surpassing its own previous all-time Canadian record a day earlier.

The heat has killed scores of residents, with the toll rising "by the hour," police said Tuesday, while meteorologists warned of more extreme temperatures to come.

Among those being mourned was the mother-in-law of infectious diseases expert Tara Moriarty, who said the otherwise healthy senior was afraid to seek respite from the heat because she was only half-vaccinated for Covid-19.

"It's quite devastating," Moriarty said on Twitter. "My partner's healthy mom died of heat stroke in British Columbia (Sunday) night.&nbsp;

"Heat stroke can kill very fast. If you have family, neighbours, friends afraid to seek cooler places (because of) Covid, check on them every couple of (hours) when it's really hot."

The British Columbia Coroners Service reported 486 "sudden deaths" between Friday and Wednesday, compared with 165 normally, while Vancouver police said calls for help overwhelmed emergency phone lines.

"While it is too early to say with certainty how many of these deaths are heat related, it is believed likely that the significant increase in deaths reported is attributable to the extreme weather British Columbia has experienced and continues to impact many parts of our province," the coroner's service said in a statement.

'Alarming' numbers&nbsp;

"We've never experienced anything like this heat in Vancouver," police Sergeant Steve Addison said, "and sadly dozens of people are dying as a result of it."

Vancouver cancelled schools for extreme heat for the first time, while firefighters turned their hoses on anyone in need of cooling.

"It's been super hot in our house, we have really had to rely on friends to give us fans," said Ashley Vaughan, walking with her three children as temperatures began to cool slightly Wednesday. "My kids have been miserable; there was a lot of crying because it was so hot."

Meteorologists said the extreme weather is the result of an extreme heat dome above the Pacific Northwest, a normal summer phenomenon -- but never this hot or early.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-jinping-hails-irreversible-rise-of-china-on-communist-party-centenary-395051">Also Read |&nbsp;President Jinping hails 'irreversible' rise of China on Communist Party centenary</a>

"This particular event is completely consistent with the science of climate change: more intensive heat waves, of a longer duration, more extreme heat, earlier in the season," Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment&nbsp;Canada, told AFP.&nbsp;

"People in the meteorological community -- weather forecasters and climatologists -- are all holding our breaths looking at the numbers. They're alarming."

Peter Lohuaro, 70, was forced to stop cycling because of dangerously high ground-level ozone, prompting public warnings to stay indoors; but he said the heatwave also helped his joints.

"It's unprecedented -- I've travelled to hot places like Death Valley (in California) and this was hotter," Lohuaro told AFP at a city cooling centre.&nbsp;

"For people who live in apartments without air conditioning or facing south, a lot had to go rent hotel rooms or really suffer."

Inside one of Vancouver's 25 air-conditioned cooling centers on Wednesday, visitors quietly read books or worked on laptops as the death toll in Canada's British Columbia province rose into the hundreds from a record-smashing heat wave.

Inside one of Vancouver's 25 air-conditioned cooling centers on Wednesday, visitors quietly read books or worked on laptops as the death toll in Canada's British Columbia province rose into the hundreds from a record-smashing heat wave. "We've had heat waves before, but not to this extent," said Lou, who provided only her first name. "I'm shocked by how many deaths there have been." "I have no air conditioning, only a fan at home -- I came here just to work where it's cool." Canada's westernmost province has been scorched for days by record-smashing heat that reached 49.5 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit) in Lytton, three hours northeast of Vancouver, on Tuesday, surpassing its own previous all-time Canadian record a day earlier. The heat has killed scores of residents, with the toll rising "by the hour," police said Tuesday, while meteorologists warned of more extreme temperatures to come. Among those being mourned was the mother-in-law of infectious diseases expert Tara Moriarty, who said the otherwise healthy senior was afraid to seek respite from the heat because she was only half-vaccinated for Covid-19. "It's quite devastating," Moriarty said on Twitter. "My partner's healthy mom died of heat stroke in British Columbia (Sunday) night. "Heat stroke can kill very fast. If you have family, neighbours, friends afraid to seek cooler places (because of) Covid, check on them every couple of (hours) when it's really hot." The British Columbia Coroners Service reported 486 "sudden deaths" between Friday and Wednesday, compared with 165 normally, while Vancouver police said calls for help overwhelmed emergency phone lines. "While it is too early to say with certainty how many of these deaths are heat related, it is believed likely that the significant increase in deaths reported is attributable to the extreme weather British Columbia has experienced and continues to impact many parts of our province," the coroner's service said in a statement. 'Alarming' numbers "We've never experienced anything like this heat in Vancouver," police Sergeant Steve Addison said, "and sadly dozens of people are dying as a result of it." Vancouver cancelled schools for extreme heat for the first time, while firefighters turned their hoses on anyone in need of cooling. "It's been super hot in our house, we have really had to rely on friends to give us fans," said Ashley Vaughan, walking with her three children as temperatures began to cool slightly Wednesday. "My kids have been miserable; there was a lot of crying because it was so hot." Meteorologists said the extreme weather is the result of an extreme heat dome above the Pacific Northwest, a normal summer phenomenon -- but never this hot or early. Also Read | President Jinping hails 'irreversible' rise of China on Communist Party centenary "This particular event is completely consistent with the science of climate change: more intensive heat waves, of a longer duration, more extreme heat, earlier in the season," Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, told AFP. "People in the meteorological community -- weather forecasters and climatologists -- are all holding our breaths looking at the numbers. They're alarming." Peter Lohuaro, 70, was forced to stop cycling because of dangerously high ground-level ozone, prompting public warnings to stay indoors; but he said the heatwave also helped his joints. "It's unprecedented -- I've travelled to hot places like Death Valley (in California) and this was hotter," Lohuaro told AFP at a city cooling centre. "For people who live in apartments without air conditioning or facing south, a lot had to go rent hotel rooms or really suffer."

Canadians pack into cooling centres as heatwave death toll doubles

At least 486 sudden deaths were reported in a time span of five days during British Columbia’s catastrophic heatwave.&nbsp;

Usually, 165 sudden deaths would occur in the Canadian province over that period, its chief coroner said. He further suggested that more than 300 deaths could be attributed to the heat. The new tally marks a 195 per cent increase over normal years.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> just had a temperature of nearly 50°C (Lytton, 49.6°C) 
"Without human-induced climate change, it would have been almost impossible ...as the chances of natural occurrence is once every tens of thousands of years," says <a href="https://twitter.com/metoffice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@metoffice</a> scientist 
Details <a href="https://t.co/fb1nIF8wny">https://t.co/fb1nIF8wny</a> <a href="https://t.co/rxKGmQqZZM">pic.twitter.com/rxKGmQqZZM</a>
— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WMO/status/1410223888412381193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe, in a statement, said, "While it is too early to say with certainty how many of these deaths are heat-related, it is believed likely that the significant increase in deaths reported is attributable to the extreme weather BC has experienced and continues to impact many parts of our province".&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unstoppable-182-unmarked-graves-found-at-third-canadian-school-395019">Also Read |&nbsp;'Unstoppable': 182 unmarked graves found at third Canadian school</a>

Warning people about the hike in temperatures, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed sympathy for the families of the deceased.&nbsp;

The town of Lytton, British Columbia reached 49.5C (121.1F) on Tuesday. Lytton was evacuated on Thursday night after a fire hit the town and threatened residential buildings.

Speaking about the wildfires, mayor Jan Polderman told CBC News, "It’s dire - the whole town is on fire. It’s bad, I’ve never seen anything like this".&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in Vancouver, schools were cancelled for extreme heat for the first time, while firefighters turned their hoses on anyone in need of cooling.

"We've never experienced anything like this heat in Vancouver," police Sergeant Steve Addison said, "and sadly dozens of people are dying as a result of it."

At least 486 sudden deaths were reported in a time span of five days during British Columbia’s catastrophic heatwave. Usually, 165 sudden deaths would occur in the Canadian province over that period, its chief coroner said.

At least 486 sudden deaths were reported in a time span of five days during British Columbia’s catastrophic heatwave. Usually, 165 sudden deaths would occur in the Canadian province over that period, its chief coroner said. He further suggested that more than 300 deaths could be attributed to the heat. The new tally marks a 195 per cent increase over normal years. #Canada just had a temperature of nearly 50°C (Lytton, 49.6°C) "Without human-induced climate change, it would have been almost impossible ...as the chances of natural occurrence is once every tens of thousands of years," says @metoffice scientist Details https://t.co/fb1nIF8wny pic.twitter.com/rxKGmQqZZM — World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) June 30, 2021 × Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe, in a statement, said, "While it is too early to say with certainty how many of these deaths are heat-related, it is believed likely that the significant increase in deaths reported is attributable to the extreme weather BC has experienced and continues to impact many parts of our province". Also Read | 'Unstoppable': 182 unmarked graves found at third Canadian school Warning people about the hike in temperatures, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed sympathy for the families of the deceased. The town of Lytton, British Columbia reached 49.5C (121.1F) on Tuesday. Lytton was evacuated on Thursday night after a fire hit the town and threatened residential buildings. Speaking about the wildfires, mayor Jan Polderman told CBC News, "It’s dire - the whole town is on fire. It’s bad, I’ve never seen anything like this". Meanwhile, in Vancouver, schools were cancelled for extreme heat for the first time, while firefighters turned their hoses on anyone in need of cooling. "We've never experienced anything like this heat in Vancouver," police Sergeant Steve Addison said, "and sadly dozens of people are dying as a result of it."

Canada heat wave: British Columbia sees 195% increase in sudden deaths with 486 cases reported

Over 230 people have died in British Columbia, Canada, since Friday as a catastrophic heat wave delivered record-breaking temperatures. It was a "unprecedented time," according to the province's chief coroner.&nbsp; 
 
The deaths came as Canada set a new all-time high temperature record for a third day in a row Tuesday, reaching 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.5 degrees Celsius) in Lytton, British Columbia, about 155 miles (250 kilometers) east of Vancouver, the country's weather service, Environment Canada, reported.

At least 69 people have died in the Vancouver area of Canada as a result of a record-breaking heat wave that has engulfed the west of the country and the US Pacific Northwest. Most were elderly or had underlying health conditions.

According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the majority of the fatalities in the Vancouver suburbs of Burnaby and Surrey during the past 24 hours were the elderly or people with underlying health concerns.&nbsp; 
 
Watch:

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Temperatures in Canada had never exceeded 45 degrees Celsius (113F) before this week.&nbsp;

"At 4:20 pm, Lytton Climate Station reported 49.5°C, once again, breaking the daily and all-time temperature records for the 3rd straight day," Environment and Climate Change Canada posted on Twitter, announcing a temperature equal to 121 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to a new Natural Resources Canada study, the majority of Canadians, including individuals, businesses, and governments, are unprepared to deal with extreme weather.

Heat warnings have been issued by Environment Canada for British Columbia and Alberta, as well as parts of Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and a chunk of the Yukon.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Over 230 people have died in British Columbia, Canada, since Friday as a catastrophic heat wave delivered record-breaking temperatures. It was a "unprecedented time," according to the province's chief coroner.

Over 230 people have died in British Columbia, Canada, since Friday as a catastrophic heat wave delivered record-breaking temperatures. It was a "unprecedented time," according to the province's chief coroner. The deaths came as Canada set a new all-time high temperature record for a third day in a row Tuesday, reaching 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.5 degrees Celsius) in Lytton, British Columbia, about 155 miles (250 kilometers) east of Vancouver, the country's weather service, Environment Canada, reported. At least 69 people have died in the Vancouver area of Canada as a result of a record-breaking heat wave that has engulfed the west of the country and the US Pacific Northwest. Most were elderly or had underlying health conditions. According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the majority of the fatalities in the Vancouver suburbs of Burnaby and Surrey during the past 24 hours were the elderly or people with underlying health concerns. Watch: Temperatures in Canada had never exceeded 45 degrees Celsius (113F) before this week. "At 4:20 pm, Lytton Climate Station reported 49.5°C, once again, breaking the daily and all-time temperature records for the 3rd straight day," Environment and Climate Change Canada posted on Twitter, announcing a temperature equal to 121 degrees Fahrenheit. According to a new Natural Resources Canada study, the majority of Canadians, including individuals, businesses, and governments, are unprepared to deal with extreme weather. Heat warnings have been issued by Environment Canada for British Columbia and Alberta, as well as parts of Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and a chunk of the Yukon. (With inputs from agencies)

230 dead as Canada records all-time high temperature of 49.5 degrees celsius

British Columbia closed schools and universities on Monday due to extreme heat which pushed temperature in the western Canadian province to a national record over the weekend, in a country that is widely known for its brutal winter and snows. 
 
Lytton, a town in central British Columbia roughly 200km (124 miles) north of Vancouver, reported a temperature of 46.6°C (115.88°F) on Sunday. Prior to the weekend, the historical high in Canada was 45°C, set in Saskatchewan in 1937, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada. 
 
Monday was forecast to be even hotter, as much of western Canada set local temperature records, pushing people to take shelter in beaches and lake fronts. Social media posts with tips on staying cool without air conditioners went viral, in a province where less than 40% of homes have air conditioning, according to a 2018 study from BC&nbsp;Hydro. 
 
The high sustained heat is unusual to the Pacific Northwest, which is more accustomed to long bouts of rain than sun, and is caused by a high pressure system that isn`t moving, said Greg Flato, a senior research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada based in Victoria. 
 
"Temperatures get very hot during the day, they don`t cool off that much of the night and they stay relatively stationary, as opposed to the usual kind of weather events here on the West Coast... that come in across the Pacific (Ocean) and sweep across us," Flato said. 
 
"It drives home the point that climate is changing. Science has been telling us for a long time but to be actually immersed in it, as we are here and having to sleep down in the basement to stay cool - it really drives that home." 
 
Canola futures surged to daily price limits on Monday, fuelled by a heatwave and dry weather on the Canadian Prairies.

British Columbia closed schools and universities on Monday due to extreme heat which pushed temperature in the western Canadian province to a national record over the weekend, in a country that is widely known for its brutal winter and snows.

British Columbia closed schools and universities on Monday due to extreme heat which pushed temperature in the western Canadian province to a national record over the weekend, in a country that is widely known for its brutal winter and snows. Lytton, a town in central British Columbia roughly 200km (124 miles) north of Vancouver, reported a temperature of 46.6°C (115.88°F) on Sunday. Prior to the weekend, the historical high in Canada was 45°C, set in Saskatchewan in 1937, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada. Monday was forecast to be even hotter, as much of western Canada set local temperature records, pushing people to take shelter in beaches and lake fronts. Social media posts with tips on staying cool without air conditioners went viral, in a province where less than 40% of homes have air conditioning, according to a 2018 study from BC Hydro. The high sustained heat is unusual to the Pacific Northwest, which is more accustomed to long bouts of rain than sun, and is caused by a high pressure system that isn`t moving, said Greg Flato, a senior research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada based in Victoria. "Temperatures get very hot during the day, they don`t cool off that much of the night and they stay relatively stationary, as opposed to the usual kind of weather events here on the West Coast... that come in across the Pacific (Ocean) and sweep across us," Flato said. "It drives home the point that climate is changing. Science has been telling us for a long time but to be actually immersed in it, as we are here and having to sleep down in the basement to stay cool - it really drives that home." Canola futures surged to daily price limits on Monday, fuelled by a heatwave and dry weather on the Canadian Prairies.

Record heat forces western Canada province to shut schools, universities

"2020 is very likely to be one of the three warmest years on record globally," the Geneva-based UN agency said in its State of the Global Climate in 2020 report.

2020 likely to be second warmest year on record globally

Parts of the continent sweated through the hottest November night on record on Saturday.

Record heat wave in Australia sparks fears of more bushfires

California braces for record-breaking heat wave on Labour Day weekend

Mercury levels continue to soar across Western Europe. The MeD department in England has already issued heat alerts for parts of England and the temperatures are predicted to claim to 37 degrees Celcius. Watch report.

People seek ways to cool off as heatwave bakes Paris | Western Europe Heatwave

The Arctic has transformed into an oven. Heatwaves have sparked hundreds of wildfires in Siberia. Millions of hectares of forest is up in flames. It's been a record-setting summer.&nbsp;Scientists say it could get worse. The chilly Arctic breeze could be snuffed out soon if nothing is done about global warming.

Forests in the arctic region are up in flames. They are burning with great intensity. The smoke has reached the west coast of the United States. In Siberia, close to three million hectares of forest is on fire. Since January 2020, more than four million hectare of forest has already gone up in flames. The heatwave has reduced the expansive Boreal forests into a bone dry patch of land.

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Scientists believe the recurring heatwaves will continue to spawn wildfires.

"We are monitoring the clouds and when we find enough clouds over a wildfire - the plane immediately takes off. Today, we are going to work over two or three wildfires. This method makes fire isolation, fire extinguishing in remote areas much easier for firefighters working on the ground. Their job becomes significantly easier."

Satellite images show that much of the Russian Arctic is in the red.

The problem of wildfires is closely linked to climate change.

Climate scientists say the Siberian heatwave is a warning cry from the Arctic. 
&nbsp;

The Arctic has transformed into an oven. Heatwaves have sparked hundreds of wildfires in Siberia. Millions of hectares of forest is up in flames. It's been a record-setting summer.

The Arctic has transformed into an oven. Heatwaves have sparked hundreds of wildfires in Siberia. Millions of hectares of forest is up in flames. It's been a record-setting summer. Scientists say it could get worse. The chilly Arctic breeze could be snuffed out soon if nothing is done about global warming. Forests in the arctic region are up in flames. They are burning with great intensity. The smoke has reached the west coast of the United States. In Siberia, close to three million hectares of forest is on fire. Since January 2020, more than four million hectare of forest has already gone up in flames. The heatwave has reduced the expansive Boreal forests into a bone dry patch of land. Scientists believe the recurring heatwaves will continue to spawn wildfires. "We are monitoring the clouds and when we find enough clouds over a wildfire - the plane immediately takes off. Today, we are going to work over two or three wildfires. This method makes fire isolation, fire extinguishing in remote areas much easier for firefighters working on the ground. Their job becomes significantly easier." Satellite images show that much of the Russian Arctic is in the red. The problem of wildfires is closely linked to climate change. Climate scientists say the Siberian heatwave is a warning cry from the Arctic.

Record-breaking Arctic heat leaves Siberia 'red-faced'

With temperatures surpassing the 45 degrees Celsius-mark across several parts in north India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued a "red" warning for Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Rajasthan for the next two days.

The IMD has also issued an orange warning for heatwave for east Uttar Pradesh, said Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of IMD's Regional Meteorological Centre.

He cautioned that temperatures could soar up to 47 degrees Celsius in some parts over the next 2-3 days. 
This is also for the first time this summer season that a red warning has been issued for heatwave, Srivastava said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/amid-takeovers-india-keeps-an-eye-on-fpis-from-china-and-hong-kong-300456">Also read:&nbsp;Amid takeovers, India keeps an eye on FPIs from China and Hong Kong</a>

This season, the temperatures did not rise the way it usually does in north and central India because of significant rainfall activity during April that continued till mid-May.

On Saturday, Pilani in Rajasthan recorded 46.7 degrees Celsius.

"Heatwave conditions over some parts with severe heatwave over isolated pockets are very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Telnagana during the next five days," the IMD said in its daily bulletin.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/maldives-thwarts-pak-attempts-to-single-out-india-on-islamophobia-at-oic-300450">Also read:&nbsp;Maldives thwarts Pak attempts to single out India on Islamophobia at OIC</a>

It added that heatwave conditions in isolated pockets over Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Gujarat, central Maharashtra and Vidarbha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalseema and north interior Karnataka are also likely during the next 3-4 days.

A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is at least 40 degrees Celsius and the departure from normal temperature is 4.5 degrees Celsius to 6.4 degrees Celsius.

For the plains, a heatwave is declared when the actual maximum temperature is 45 degrees Celsius and severe heatwave when it is 47 degrees Celsius or above.

The IMD issues colour-coded warnings depending on the intensity of any weather system in ascending order- green, yellow, orange and red.

Srivastava said the red warning has been issued to caution people not to step out during 1 pm to 5 pm, when the intensity of the heat is the most.

Naresh Kumar, a scientist with the National Weather Forecasting Centre of the IMD, said due to dry north-westerly winds and a trough between Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, conditions are favourable for heatwave to severe heatwave.

Kumar said relief is only expected after May 28 as a western disturbance is likely to bring some rainfall. 
A western disturbance is a cyclonic storm that originates in the Mediterranean and travels across Central Asia. When it comes in contact with the Himalayas, it brings rains to the hills and plains.

With temperatures surpassing the 45 degrees Celsius-mark across several parts in north India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued a "red" warning for Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Rajasthan for the next two days.

With temperatures surpassing the 45 degrees Celsius-mark across several parts in north India, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued a "red" warning for Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Rajasthan for the next two days. The IMD has also issued an orange warning for heatwave for east Uttar Pradesh, said Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of IMD's Regional Meteorological Centre. He cautioned that temperatures could soar up to 47 degrees Celsius in some parts over the next 2-3 days. This is also for the first time this summer season that a red warning has been issued for heatwave, Srivastava said. Also read: Amid takeovers, India keeps an eye on FPIs from China and Hong Kong This season, the temperatures did not rise the way it usually does in north and central India because of significant rainfall activity during April that continued till mid-May. On Saturday, Pilani in Rajasthan recorded 46.7 degrees Celsius. "Heatwave conditions over some parts with severe heatwave over isolated pockets are very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Telnagana during the next five days," the IMD said in its daily bulletin. Also read: Maldives thwarts Pak attempts to single out India on Islamophobia at OIC It added that heatwave conditions in isolated pockets over Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Gujarat, central Maharashtra and Vidarbha, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Rayalseema and north interior Karnataka are also likely during the next 3-4 days. A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is at least 40 degrees Celsius and the departure from normal temperature is 4.5 degrees Celsius to 6.4 degrees Celsius. For the plains, a heatwave is declared when the actual maximum temperature is 45 degrees Celsius and severe heatwave when it is 47 degrees Celsius or above. The IMD issues colour-coded warnings depending on the intensity of any weather system in ascending order- green, yellow, orange and red. Srivastava said the red warning has been issued to caution people not to step out during 1 pm to 5 pm, when the intensity of the heat is the most. Naresh Kumar, a scientist with the National Weather Forecasting Centre of the IMD, said due to dry north-westerly winds and a trough between Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, conditions are favourable for heatwave to severe heatwave. Kumar said relief is only expected after May 28 as a western disturbance is likely to bring some rainfall. A western disturbance is a cyclonic storm that originates in the Mediterranean and travels across Central Asia. When it comes in contact with the Himalayas, it brings rains to the hills and plains.

Heatwave: IMD issues 'red alert' for several parts of North India

Soaring temperatures sent Israelis to beaches across the country on Sunday (May 17) with many violating the coronavirus restrictions. Some areas in the country and Israeli-occupied West Bank exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in the country's first seasonal heatwave.

People flock to beaches as Israel, West Bank bake in heatwave

Two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/paris-no-more-under-heatwave-alert-231966">heatwaves that hit France </a>this summer claimed more than 1,500 more lives, Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said Sunday.

But that toll was significantly lower than the disastrous summer of 2003, when an estimated 15,000 people died during an August <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/all-time-hottest-temperature-in-france-recorded-at-443c-weather-service-231244">heatwave</a>.

"We have 1,500 deaths recorded more than the average for these months, so that's 10 times fewer deaths than the 2003 heatwave," Buzyn told French radio.

This year's heatwaves hit France in June and July, with a new record temperature of 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 degrees Fahrenheit) recorded in the south on June 28.

While the 2003 heatwave lasted 20 days in all, this year's lasted for 18, in two separate heatwaves, the second covering a large part of France, Buzyn added.

The authorities' preventive measures helped keep the death rate well below the high numbers experienced in 2003, she added.

The 2003 heatwave was the deadliest recorded in France, with the central and Paris regions hardest hit.

Two heatwaves that hit France this summer claimed more than 1,500 more lives, Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said Sunday. But that toll was significantly lower than the disastrous summer of 2003, when an estimated 15,000 people died during an August heatwave.

Two heatwaves that hit France this summer claimed more than 1,500 more lives, Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said Sunday. But that toll was significantly lower than the disastrous summer of 2003, when an estimated 15,000 people died during an August heatwave. "We have 1,500 deaths recorded more than the average for these months, so that's 10 times fewer deaths than the 2003 heatwave," Buzyn told French radio. This year's heatwaves hit France in June and July, with a new record temperature of 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 degrees Fahrenheit) recorded in the south on June 28. While the 2003 heatwave lasted 20 days in all, this year's lasted for 18, in two separate heatwaves, the second covering a large part of France, Buzyn added. The authorities' preventive measures helped keep the death rate well below the high numbers experienced in 2003, she added. The 2003 heatwave was the deadliest recorded in France, with the central and Paris regions hardest hit.

France's summer heatwaves claimed 1,500 lives: Minister

July 2019 now stands as Alaska’s&nbsp;hottest&nbsp;month&nbsp;on record, the latest benchmark in a long-term warming trend with ominous repercussions ranging from rapidly vanishing summer sea ice and melting glaciers to raging wildfires and deadly chaos for marine life.

July's statewide average temperature rose to 14.5 degrees Celsius, a level that for denizens of the Lower 48 states might seem cool enough but is actually 5.4 degrees above normal and nearly a full degree higher than&nbsp;Alaska's&nbsp;previous record-hot month.

The new high was officially declared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its&nbsp;monthly climate report, released on Wednesday.

More significantly, July was the 12th consecutive&nbsp;month&nbsp;in which average temperatures were above normal nearly every day, said Brian Brettschneider, a scientist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Of&nbsp;Alaska's&nbsp;10 warmest&nbsp;months on record, seven have now occurred since 2004.

''You can always have a random kind of warm&nbsp;month, season or even year,'' Brettschneider said. ''But when it happens year after year after year after year after year, then statistically it fails the test of randomness and it then becomes a trend.''

Alaska, like other parts of the far north, is warming at least twice as fast as the planet as a whole, research shows. And over the past 12months, Brettschneder said, that warming has crossed a threshold – shifting Alaska from an environment with average temperatures below freezing to above freezing.

It used to be that Alaska was generally a frozen state, he said, adding, ''Now we're an unfrozen state.''

Runoff from accelerated melting of glaciers and high-altitude snowfields sent some rivers to near or above flood stage in early July, despite a drought gripping much of the state, including the world's largest temperate rain forest in southeastern Alaska.

Sea ice, which has been running at record or near-record lows since spring across the Arctic, completely vanished from waters off Alaska by the start of August. The nearest stretch of ice this summer, said ACCAP climate scientist Rick Thoman, lies about 150 miles (240 km) north of Kaktovik, a village above the Arctic Circle on the northeastern edge of Alaska.

No ice for walruses

The effect on Pacific walruses is particularly acute.

Walruses normally perch on the floating ice to rest while diving for food and to take care of their newborn calves. Now, with no ice in sight, the walruses have crowded onto the Chukchi Sea shoreline earlier in the year than at any time on record, according to the US&nbsp;Fish and Wildlife Service.

Thousands of walruses – almost all adult females and their young calves – congregated by July 25 on a Chukchi Sea beach near the Inupiat village of Point Lay. Walruses have been coming ashore there almost every year since 2007, then a record-low Arctic ice year, but they have rarely been forced ashore before autumn.

Beach crowding can be dangerous for the large, tusked creatures. If they are spooked by noise or the appearance of a predator, they might stampede into the water, trampling younger and smaller animals to death.

They are not the only marine mammals suffering through the hot Alaska summer.

Thirty-two dead grey whales have been found in Alaska waters this year, six of them in the Bering Strait region or the Chukchi Sea off northwestern Alaska, said Julie Speegle, an NOAA spokeswoman in Juneau. As of mid-July, 137 dead seals had been found on Bering Strait-area beaches, Speegle said.

Seabird carcasses are littering beaches in what has shaped up as the fifth consecutive year of large bird die-offs in Alaska.

High numbers of salmon, apparently overcome by the heat before getting the chance to spawn, have been found floating dead in rivers and streams around western Alaska.

The warming trend has been uncomfortable for humans as well.

Fueled in part by the heat, wildfires across the state have burned more than 2.4 million acres (970,000 hectares) as of early August, spewing smoke and soot that has fouled the air quality of several cities and regions. The smoke pollution poses an unusual quandary for sweltering Alaskans, most of whom live without air conditioning.

“When it’s hot and smoky, Alaska doesn’t have a good way to cope with that,” said Thoman, the ACCP climate scientist whose hometown of Fairbanks was particularly hard hit by wildfire smoke. “Open your windows and you get smoked up. Keep your windows closed and you get hot.”

In Anchorage, where temperatures reached a record daytime high of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) last&nbsp;month, Brettschneider had a similar take.

“I tell people we’re not built for heat. Our houses are built to store heat,” he said.

July 2019 now stands as Alaska’s hottest month on record, the latest benchmark in a long-term warming trend with ominous repercussions ranging from rapidly vanishing summer sea ice and melting glaciers to raging wildfires and deadly chaos for marine life.

July 2019 now stands as Alaska’s hottest month on record, the latest benchmark in a long-term warming trend with ominous repercussions ranging from rapidly vanishing summer sea ice and melting glaciers to raging wildfires and deadly chaos for marine life. July's statewide average temperature rose to 14.5 degrees Celsius, a level that for denizens of the Lower 48 states might seem cool enough but is actually 5.4 degrees above normal and nearly a full degree higher than Alaska's previous record-hot month. The new high was officially declared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its monthly climate report, released on Wednesday. More significantly, July was the 12th consecutive month in which average temperatures were above normal nearly every day, said Brian Brettschneider, a scientist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Of Alaska's 10 warmest months on record, seven have now occurred since 2004. ''You can always have a random kind of warm month, season or even year,'' Brettschneider said. ''But when it happens year after year after year after year after year, then statistically it fails the test of randomness and it then becomes a trend.'' Alaska, like other parts of the far north, is warming at least twice as fast as the planet as a whole, research shows. And over the past 12months, Brettschneder said, that warming has crossed a threshold – shifting Alaska from an environment with average temperatures below freezing to above freezing. It used to be that Alaska was generally a frozen state, he said, adding, ''Now we're an unfrozen state.'' Runoff from accelerated melting of glaciers and high-altitude snowfields sent some rivers to near or above flood stage in early July, despite a drought gripping much of the state, including the world's largest temperate rain forest in southeastern Alaska. Sea ice, which has been running at record or near-record lows since spring across the Arctic, completely vanished from waters off Alaska by the start of August. The nearest stretch of ice this summer, said ACCAP climate scientist Rick Thoman, lies about 150 miles (240 km) north of Kaktovik, a village above the Arctic Circle on the northeastern edge of Alaska. No ice for walruses The effect on Pacific walruses is particularly acute. Walruses normally perch on the floating ice to rest while diving for food and to take care of their newborn calves. Now, with no ice in sight, the walruses have crowded onto the Chukchi Sea shoreline earlier in the year than at any time on record, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Thousands of walruses – almost all adult females and their young calves – congregated by July 25 on a Chukchi Sea beach near the Inupiat village of Point Lay. Walruses have been coming ashore there almost every year since 2007, then a record-low Arctic ice year, but they have rarely been forced ashore before autumn. Beach crowding can be dangerous for the large, tusked creatures. If they are spooked by noise or the appearance of a predator, they might stampede into the water, trampling younger and smaller animals to death. They are not the only marine mammals suffering through the hot Alaska summer. Thirty-two dead grey whales have been found in Alaska waters this year, six of them in the Bering Strait region or the Chukchi Sea off northwestern Alaska, said Julie Speegle, an NOAA spokeswoman in Juneau. As of mid-July, 137 dead seals had been found on Bering Strait-area beaches, Speegle said. Seabird carcasses are littering beaches in what has shaped up as the fifth consecutive year of large bird die-offs in Alaska. High numbers of salmon, apparently overcome by the heat before getting the chance to spawn, have been found floating dead in rivers and streams around western Alaska. The warming trend has been uncomfortable for humans as well. Fueled in part by the heat, wildfires across the state have burned more than 2.4 million acres (970,000 hectares) as of early August, spewing smoke and soot that has fouled the air quality of several cities and regions. The smoke pollution poses an unusual quandary for sweltering Alaskans, most of whom live without air conditioning. “When it’s hot and smoky, Alaska doesn’t have a good way to cope with that,” said Thoman, the ACCP climate scientist whose hometown of Fairbanks was particularly hard hit by wildfire smoke. “Open your windows and you get smoked up. Keep your windows closed and you get hot.” In Anchorage, where temperatures reached a record daytime high of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) last month, Brettschneider had a similar take. “I tell people we’re not built for heat. Our houses are built to store heat,” he said.

Alaska records warmest month ever in July

Almost 400 people more died in the Netherlands during <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-heatwave-fueled-by-human-induced-climate-change-study-finds-240400">Europe's recent record-breaking heatwave</a> than in a regular summer week, Dutch national statistics agency CBS said on Friday.

In total, 2964 people died in the Netherlands during the week that started on July 22, the CBS said, which was around 15% more than during an average week in the summertime.

Temperature records tumbled across Europe during late July's heatwave, and for the first time since records began topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the Netherlands on July 25.

The death toll in the Netherlands during that week was comparable to the rate during two heatwaves in 2006, which were among the longest ever in the country, the researchers said.

About 300 of the additional fatalities were among people aged 80 years and older.

Most of the deaths occurred in the east of the Netherlands, where temperatures were higher and the heatwave lasted longer than in other parts of the country.

The Netherlands has a total population of around 17 million.

The heatwave was the second to hit Europe in a month, and climate specialists warn such bursts of heat may become more common as the planet warms up due to greenhouse gas emissions.

Almost 400 people more died in the Netherlands during Europe's recent record-breaking heatwave than in a regular summer week, Dutch national statistics agency CBS said on Friday.

Almost 400 people more died in the Netherlands during Europe's recent record-breaking heatwave than in a regular summer week, Dutch national statistics agency CBS said on Friday. In total, 2964 people died in the Netherlands during the week that started on July 22, the CBS said, which was around 15% more than during an average week in the summertime. Temperature records tumbled across Europe during late July's heatwave, and for the first time since records began topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the Netherlands on July 25. The death toll in the Netherlands during that week was comparable to the rate during two heatwaves in 2006, which were among the longest ever in the country, the researchers said. About 300 of the additional fatalities were among people aged 80 years and older. Most of the deaths occurred in the east of the Netherlands, where temperatures were higher and the heatwave lasted longer than in other parts of the country. The Netherlands has a total population of around 17 million. The heatwave was the second to hit Europe in a month, and climate specialists warn such bursts of heat may become more common as the planet warms up due to greenhouse gas emissions.

Heatwave caused nearly 400 more deaths in Netherlands: Report

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