US weather: Wildfires rage across America as officials issue warning to ‘stay indoors’

A high-pressure heat dome will drive temperatures into the 110Fs while ‘keeping a lid’ on spewing pollution.

Government weather authorities have warned people in affected regions not to leave their homes until the air clears.

A spokesman for the US National Weather Service (NOAA) said: “Smoke from wildfires will continue to plague parts of the West, including Northern California eastward and north-eastward and into Montana, resulting in poor air quality and areas of reduced visibility.

“Affected residents are urged to stay indoors, if possible, with windows and doors closed.”

NOAA has issued fresh wildfire warnings across Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and central California.

Heatwave conditions are forecast through the start of this week with dry winds and rainless skies fuelling the blaze.

Searing temperatures have spread since early summer under a stubborn area of high pressure smothering the United States.

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The dome shows no signs of shifting, with weather maps this week turning white as the mercury rockets.

The heat will peak in the 100Fs across Arizona, Texas, California and west-central states, forecasters warn.

Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services and co-author of ‘Surviving Extreme Weather’, said: “We are looking at suffering temperatures across parts of the region through this week, as the heat dome continues to drive heatwave conditions.

“Western states into central parts of the country will remain into the 110Fs as the region remains in the grip of high summer.

“This is helping to fuel the wildfires, and the air has nowhere to go which means there is nothing to clear the smoke as it stays trapped and unable to spread.

“It is a bit like lighting a bonfire in your living room, the smoke has nowhere to go.”

Smoke from wildfires raging in Canada close to the US border has added to the misery as plumes of pollution spread to surrounding states.

Smoke has smothered Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia before spilling into Colorado, Montana and the Midwest.

Some 950 fires were burning at the end of the week with residents forced to evacuate, according to local reports.

US fires have added to poor air quality, filling the skies with plumes of black smoke laden with particles, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.

A huge fire in northern California had at the weekend spread across more than 250 square miles, according to The Weather Channel.

A spokesman said: “The rapidly intensifying fire in northern California has consumed more than 250 square miles.

“Homes and businesses are among the 134 buildings burned so far with thousands more threatened by the flames.”

More than 1,600 firefighters and emergency service workers were yesterday tackling the blaze, they added.

Further warnings for heat are in force this week across central and eastern states as summer cranks up the misery.

Weather Channel meteorologist Orelon Sidney said: “It is going to get hot once again across the Plains and into the northeast as high pressure builds in for the weekend and this week.

“As we round out the month of July, it looks like above-normal temperatures from the crest of the Rockies through the eastern slopes into the Great Lakes and the northeast.

“The northeast is going to get into the game with temperatures into the 80Fs.”