Heat roundup: Dixie Fire survivors share stories of loss and uncertainty; farmworkers at higher risk of heat-wave deaths

The Dixie Fire is about five times the size of Disneyland
and is only 30% contained. (Google Maps screenshot)

More than half of the 48 contiguous states are under heat advisories as heat waves blanket much of the nation. The combination of high temperatures and low humidity is expected to increase wildfire risk in the Pacific Northwest for the next several days. The Washington Post notes: "Climate change is intensifying the frequency and intensity of extreme heat as increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel burning warm the atmosphere." Read more here.

Drought is shrinking rivers and lakes, which could slow barge traffic and make it harder for farmers to ship crops. Read more here.

Farmworkers are some of the most vulnerable to heatwave deaths; employers and governments must do more to protect them, writes a columnist. Read more here.

The Dixie Fire is now the largest single fire in California history, though it is still only half the size of the August Complex, a 2020 conflagration that spanned seven counties. Dixie is only 30 percent contained and covers 790 square miles, according to Cal Fire. Meanwhile, the uncontrolled Richard Spring Fire in Montana has grown to more than 230 square miles. Read more here.

Rural Dixie Fire survivors share stories of loss and uncertainty. Read more here.