Heat waves are synonymous with summer for most people. But this summer’s heat has broken records for temperatures and duration. As of late July, Texas had experienced highs over 100° Fahrenheit for more than 30 days straight. China posted its highest temperature ever recorded, and Europe’s heat may surpass last year’s onslaught, when more than 60,000 people may have died due to excessive heat.
The hot, dry weather helped fuel coast-to-coast wildfires in Canada, with smoke spilling south and blanketing the U.S. Midwest and East Coast. For many people, it was their first experience with dangerous air quality caused by wildfires, a plague that has become all too familiar to people in the western United States.