August 4, 2026
Heat Wave & Wildfire Update | August 3, 2026 | 2 min read
A massive heat dome stretching from California to the Dakotas has triggered heat alerts for more than 45 million people, while high winds and record heat fuel fast-growing wildfires across the West. Here's what's happening and how to prepare.
Forecasters expect highs of 116°F in Phoenix, 114°F in Las Vegas, and a potentially record-setting 118°F in El Centro, California. Extreme heat warnings are in effect across Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Tucson, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix, while Denver, Fresno, Rapid City, and Bismarck are under heat advisories.
A high-pressure heat dome parked over the region from Arizona to Montana is trapping warm air near the surface. Overnight temperatures staying in the upper 80s to low 90s mean there's little relief once the sun goes down, according to the National Weather Service, since the body doesn't get its usual chance to cool off overnight.
The same heat and high winds are driving significant fire growth. In Washington state, a Spokane County fire has burned past 5,000 acres, damaging or destroying around 600 structures and putting roughly 4,000 more at risk, prompting Gov. Bob Ferguson to declare a state of emergency and ban most outdoor and agricultural burning through September. In eastern Oregon, the Rowe Creek Complex has spread across 490 square miles and is 57% contained. Red flag fire warnings are also in effect across Montana, Utah, Nebraska, Nevada, and the Dakotas.
Flood watches are in effect from Michigan and Indiana through western New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, and nearly all of West Virginia, with forecasters expecting that flooding threat to expand into the Northeast and New England early next week.
Prep your home for heat and smoke
Extreme heat and wildfire smoke both put extra strain on your home. A few steps to take now:
Sources: Associated Press, ABC News, USA Today, National Weather Service.
