Scorching heat dome and wildfire smoke in U.S. poses health risks for vulnerable groups

John Yang:

A scorching heat dome, a region of high pressure that parks and traps heat on the ground, has blanketed West Texas and much of the U.S. South, resulting in multiple days of triple-digit temperatures and suffocating humidity.

While pools and public facilities offer some temporary respite, the conditions pose serious health risks for vulnerable groups, such as homeless communities and workers who spend much of their days outside.

Earlier this month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a law that will eliminate water break requirements for construction workers, beginning in September.

But even those with air conditioning on full blast now could be at risk of losing it. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas said power use has reached all-time highs, putting pressure on the state's electrical grid.

As the blistering sun beats down on the South, up north, a different scenario. For the second time this year, a thick layer of haze filtered the sunlight and covered the skylines of places like Chicago. Smoke from hundreds of wildfires throughout Canada is drifting into the United States, plaguing major cities with poor air quality.

The haze is lingering over more than a dozen states, and many of the hardest-hit cities are in the Midwest. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Detroit saw some of the country's worst conditions today, with air quality in the hazardous range, while indexes in Chicago and Pittsburgh were at very unhealthy levels.

Today, President Biden encountered the dense smoke as he stepped off Air Force One in Chicago. Officials warned residents in the affected regions to stay indoors and reduce activity as much as possible. Breathing in the small particles in wildfire smoke can have lasting effects on the heart and lungs.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7sa7SZ6arn1%2Bjsri%2Fx6isq2ejnby4e9KcpqubmJ67qHnHnpitZZSkuqZ5wKebZq%2BZobGntdGeZKyln6CybrXNZqxmq12lvLSx0mafnpmcqbVuvsisoqxllqS%2FbsLUpaWeqpGXuaZ5xqumrqij