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Blistering heat wave gripping western US won’t stop Death Valley tourists

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A dangerous heat wave is gripping parts of the American West as temperatures broke record highs in some areas on Monday, July 8. However, the heat didn’t stop hundreds of tourists from flocking to Death Valley National Park, even in the wake of a motorcyclist’s death attributed to the latest heat wave gripping the park.

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The California desert is one of the hottest places on earth but even this heat is extreme for Death Valley with temperatures potentially reaching 130 degrees. Park officials have warned those visiting the tourist attraction to heed caution in the dangerous temperatures and to limit their time outside their vehicles.

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From Death Valley to Las Vegas and up the West Coast, heat advisories were in effect for around 146 million people on Monday, July 8, as summer vacations are well underway.

Las Vegas broke its record-high temperature by reaching 120 degrees on Monday but it’s not over yet. A predicted high of 118 is in the forecast for Thursday, July 11.

Meanwhile, in Oregon, authorities said the heat is to blame for four deaths over the weekend of July 6.

However, the heat isn’t just a danger to public health, it’s also creating a wildfire risk. Scorching temperatures along with dry conditions fueled a fire in the Santa Barbara mountains on Monday as more than a thousand firefighters battled the blaze. The fire forced the evacuation of some nearby communities as it grew.

Additionally, some areas not typically accustomed to high temperatures have soared into the 90s. For instance, South Lake Tahoe, California, reached a record-high temperature of 91 degrees.

The early July heat wave comes after global temperatures hit record warms for the 13th straight month in June.

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[LAUREN TAYLOR]

A DANGEROUS HEAT WAVE BLAMED FOR A MOTORCYCLIST’S DEATH OVER THE WEEKEND AND WARNINGS FROM PARK OFFICIALS DIDN’T STOPPING HUNDREDS OF TOURISTS FROM FLOCKING TO DEATH VALLEY.

[THOMAS MRZILEK, BASEL]

IT’S LIKE A WAVE THAT HITS YOU AS SOON AS YOU GET OUT OF THE CAR.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE DESERT IS ONE OF HOTTEST PLACES ON EARTH– BUT EVEN THIS IS EXTREME FOR DEATH VALLEY WITH TEMPS POTENTIALLY REACHING 130 DEGREES BY MIDWEEK.

[DREW BELT, TUPELO]

“FIRST OF ALL, MY VOICE GOT REALLY RASPY RIGHT AWAY WHEN I WALKED OUTSIDE AND YOU CAN FEEL IT IN YOUR EYES AND USUALLY A BREEZE IS COOL. THIS IS NOT A COOL BREEZE WHATSOEVER.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

FROM DEATH VALLEY TO VEGAS AND UP AND DOWN THE WEST COAST– HEAT ADVISORIES WERE IN EFFECT FOR 146 MILLION AMERICANS ON MONDAY AS SUMMER VACATIONS ARE WELL UNDERWAY.

SIN CITY BROKE ITS ALL-TIME RECORD HIGH– REACHING 120 DEGREES AND IT’S NOT OVER YET– A TEMP OF 118 IS PREDICTED FOR THURSDAY.

IN OREGON, AUTHORITIES SAY HEAT IS TO BLAME FOR FOUR DEATHS OVER THE WEEKEND.

THE HEAT ISN’T JUST A DANGER TO PUBLIC HEALTH BUT IT’S ALSO CREATED A WILDFIRE RISK.

SCORCHING TEMPS ALONG WITH DRY CONDITIONS FUELED A FIRE IN THE SANTA BARBARA MOUNTAINS AS MORE THAN A THOUSAND FIREFIGHTERS BATTLED THE BLAZE.

EVACUATION ORDERS WERE ISSUED FOR NEARBY AREAS MONDAY NIGHT AS THE FIRE GREW.

AREAS NOT TYPICALLY KNOWN FOR HEAT ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING HIGH TEMPS.

LIKE SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA, WHICH HIT A RECORD-HIGH OF 91 DEGREES.

THE JULY HEAT WAVE COMES AFTER GLOBAL TEMPS HIT RECORDS FOR THE 13TH STRAIGHT MONTH IN JUNE.

FOR MORE STORIES ON THIS HEATWAVE– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT SAN-DOT-COM.