Cities open cooling centers as heat wave drives vulnerable populations indoors
Cities activate cooling centers and shelters to protect residents from extreme heat exposure.
Event / Disaster
Western US Heat Wave July 2026
A significant heat wave with near-record temperatures gripped the Western US, creating dangerous conditions and heightened wildfire risks. Major cities set records with Las Vegas reaching 115°F and El Centro, California forecast to hit 118°F. Washington Governor declared a state of emergency as multiple large wildfires burned across the state, including the Rowe Creek Complex fire in eastern Oregon which grew to 490 square miles. Communities opened cooling centers to provide relief to residents.
9 reported locations
Daily activity
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2026-08-14 to 2026-11-11 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 2 Aug, 06:22 UTC
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What happened
Heat dome brings near-record temperatures across Western US
A ridge of high pressure created a heat dome holding hot air close to the ground from Arizona to Montana on Saturday. Las Vegas reached 115°F (one degree below the daily record of 116°F), Phoenix was expected to reach 116°F, El Centro, California was forecast to hit 118°F (a record), and Great Falls, Montana was forecast to reach 104°F (a record). Las Vegas's high was 10 degrees above normal, with overnight lows in the upper 80s to low 90s preventing body recovery from the heat.
Rowe Creek Complex fire grows to 490 square miles in eastern Oregon
The Rowe Creek Complex fire in eastern Oregon has grown to 490 square miles with 57 percent containment. Crews were actively battling the fire as part of efforts to control several large wildfires across the region.
Billings homeless shelter opens early to provide heat relief
The Montana Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter in Billings, opened its doors earlier than usual on Saturday to provide relief from high temperatures. The shelter planned to provide dinner, beds, and breakfast to dozens of people expected throughout the day.
Las Vegas reaches hottest temperature of the year at 115°F
Las Vegas reached 115°F on Saturday, marking the hottest temperature recorded in the city for the year. This was one degree below the daily August record of 116°F. The city's previous hottest temperature on record was 120°F in July 2024, which also marked the hottest summer on record.
U.S. Forest Service warns of enhanced wildfire risk in Southern California
The U.S. Forest Service warned of enhanced wildfire risk through Sunday in most of Southern California except for the coastline, due to the combination of extreme heat and drought conditions.
Montana experiences extreme heat warning with record temperatures
The entire east side of Montana was under an extreme heat warning on Saturday, with Great Falls forecast to reach 104°F. Eastern Montana was also under a red flag warning due to existing fires and high winds forecast for the weekend. Billings had reached 111°F on July 12 during a mid-July heat wave.
Washington Governor declares state of emergency due to record wildfires
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency on Saturday following unusually high temperatures and high winds that exacerbated record wildfires across the state. More than 312 square miles were burning in 12 large fires. Ferguson also banned most outdoor and agricultural burning through the end of September. The National Weather Service issued an unprecedented 'particularly dangerous situation' red flag alert rating weather risk as 'extreme' across Eastern Washington.
Old Trails Fire forces evacuation in northwest Spokane
The Old Trails Fire, a fast-moving wildfire driven by strong winds and high temperatures, swept across northwest Spokane before jumping the Spokane River. The fire prompted evacuation of thousands of people from the area.
Phoenix cooling center serves 200 people daily during heat emergency
The Justa Center in Phoenix, which caters to seniors but opens to the public as a cooling center in the afternoon, reported serving approximately 200 people daily. The facility struggled to keep up with demand for water and electrolytes as people sought relief from the extreme heat.
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2 alternative perspectives
Western wildfires force evacuations as emergency declarations multiply
Multiple Western states declared emergencies and ordered evacuations as wildfires burned across Washington, Oregon, and threatened California.
Western US swelters under heat dome with record-breaking temperatures
Heat dome brings record-breaking temperatures across Western US, with Las Vegas hitting 115°F.