New Mexico wildfires burn out of control as US battles under heat alerts | BBC News

Summary

Wildfires in New Mexico have destroyed over a thousand homes, forcing an entire town to evacuate. In contrast, Texas faces the first tropical storm of the season, Alberto, causing flooding with heavy rainfall and strong winds. Meanwhile, the Northeastern U.S. endures a heatwave affecting 70 million people. Experts warn that these extreme weather events, including rampant wildfires in California and the early fire season, are signs of climate change, with more severe conditions expected.

Takeaways

• 🔥 Wildfires in New Mexico are uncontrolled, destroying over a thousand homes and forcing entire towns to evacuate.
• 🌡 Northeastern United States under heat alerts, affecting more than 70 million people.
• 🏠 Residents of Roso, New Mexico, are sheltering in evacuation centers after being engulfed in smoke and flames.
• 🌲 California wildfires are rampant, with firefighters battling multiple fires across thousands of hectares of dry brush.
• 🌪️ Wind-driven fires combined with low humidity can cause massive damage in California.
• 🌊 Tropical Storm Alberto in the Gulf of Mexico is causing flooding in Texas and Mexico with heavy rainfall and strong winds.
• ⛈️ An unusual weather pattern with Alberto has led to a thunderstorm dropping rain and hail on wildfires in New Mexico, complicating firefighting efforts.
• 🏜️ The West is experiencing hot, dry weather, increasing the risk of more wildfires and worsening existing ones.
• 🌡️ A long-duration heatwave in the Northeast is expected to last until at least the weekend, with high temperatures and no immediate relief.
• 🌍 Experts suggest that the early and aggressive fire season, along with other extreme weather events, are signs of climate change.
• 🌡️ The Clausius-Clapeyron relationship indicates that warmer air can hold more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall and flooding in some areas, and drier conditions and more wildfires in others.

Q & A

What is the current situation with the wildfires in New Mexico?

Wildfires in New Mexico are burning out of control, having destroyed more than a thousand homes and forcing the entire population of one town to evacuate.

How many people are under heat alerts in the northeast of the United States?

More than 70 million people in the northeast of the United States are under heat alerts.

What is the impact of the wildfires in California?

In California, hillsides are ablaze, with thousands of hectares lost due to dry brush catching fire, and firefighters are struggling to control a dozen separate fires.

What is the connection between the wildfires and climate change according to the script?

Experts suggest that the early and aggressive fire season, along with hot and dry weather, are the real-time effects of climate change, indicating that these incidents are becoming more extreme due to human influence on the atmosphere.

What is the current weather situation in Texas?

Texas is experiencing the effects of Tropical Storm Alberto, with flooding caused by heavy rainfall and strong winds along the coastline.

What is the unusual aspect of Tropical Storm Alberto's formation?

Alberto formed in an unusual way for this time of year, with a broad swirl in the atmosphere over the Gulf of Mexico that consolidated and brought a significant amount of moisture into Texas.

What are the weather conditions contributing to the spread of wildfires in the West?

The hot and dry weather across the remainder of the West is leading to more rampant wildfire conditions, making it easier for fires to burn and fuels to dry out.

What is the current heat wave situation in the Northeast?

The Northeast is experiencing a long-duration heat wave with temperatures in the upper 30s Celsius, and it is expected to last until at least Friday or Saturday, possibly lingering into early next week.

How does the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship relate to the current weather conditions?

The Clausius-Clapeyron relationship indicates that for every degree Celsius the air temperature warms, the air can hold 4% more water. This means heavier rainfall and more flooding where moisture is available, and drier conditions and more wildfire activity where it's not.

What is the role of the heat dome in the current Northeast heat wave?

The heat dome, a sprawling ridge of high pressure, is pushing away storms and clouds, leaving the sun to bake the ground with hot, dry, sinking air, contributing to the intensity and duration of the heat wave.

What are the concerns regarding the impact of Tropical Storm Alberto?

The main concerns are flooding, both coastal and inland, due to the significant amount of rainfall and strong winds associated with the storm.