“Above-normal temperatures will continue to prevail across much of the US through the end of the week, with a significant portion of the population remaining under heat-related advisories and warnings,” the agency said. Heat warnings and advisories are in place for 28 states, with central and southern states bearing the brunt of the heat. Some parts of Oklahoma reached 46 degrees Celsius this week, while the Dallas area reached 42 degrees Celsius. Emergency medical services in Tulsa, Oklahoma reported an increase in heat-related emergency calls this year. The city’s Emergency Medical Services Authority said it has received nearly 250 calls this year, a number that typically peaks later in the summer. “It’s very concerning,” the department’s Adam Paluka told CNN. “Especially because the number of patients being transported shows that some of those calls are heatstroke, which can be fatal.” In the northeast, where temperatures are dropping above 32C, city leaders have warned residents to limit outdoor activity during the hottest hours of the day. Philadelphia declared a “heat health emergency” for Thursday and has set up a “heat line” number for residents experiencing intense heat. Boston opened community centers and swimming pools as places for residents to cool off. “It’s clear that a changing climate is a risk to our health,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Wednesday. “I urge everyone to stay cool and safe and check on your neighbors this week.” In Phoenix, America’s hottest city, there was an extreme heat warning for Thursday and Friday. The temperature is expected to reach 45 degrees Celsius on Thursday afternoon and 46 degrees Celsius on Friday afternoon. Heat advisories are issued only when temperatures are above average for the time of year, and in Phoenix in July that means temperatures above 112 F. So far this year, the city has broken or tied four daily high records and nine night lows. The effect of heat is cumulative, and the body only begins to recover when temperatures drop below 80 F. Climate scientists have warned that heatwaves – which have spread across Europe and Asia this summer – will be more intense. and prolonged if the climate emergency is not addressed. A study published in May showed that human influence on the climate made a particular heat wave in South Asia 30 times more likely to occur. Speaking in Somerset, Mass. on the climate crisis on Wednesday, Joe Biden said global warming was an “emergency” but failed to declare a state of emergency, as activists had hoped the president would. Such a declaration would allow Biden to block crude oil imports or direct the military to work on renewable energy production. The White House said a formal emergency declaration is “still on the table.” “He is literally, not figuratively, a clear and present danger,” Biden said. “The health of our citizens and communities is literally at stake.” Additional reporting by Nina Lachani
