Extreme heat warnings issued for parts of southern California

Extreme heat warnings have been issued across parts of southern California, with temperatures expected to climb into the high 30s Celsius this week, raising fire risks as a high-pressure system lingers. Meanwhile, Indonesia is battling severe wildfires, particularly in western Borneo and southern Sumatra, where dry conditions and peat-rich soils have fueled rapid fire spread and hazardous air pollution. The smoke has worsened air quality in neighboring regions, including Malaysia and Singapore, as drought conditions persist amid typical El Niño-related weather patterns. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as both heatwaves and wildfires pose significant hazards.

Temperatures in US state forecast to hit high 30s celsius this week, while regions in Indonesia grapple with wildfiresThe National Weather Service in the US has issued extreme heat warnings for parts of southern California, including Los Angeles, until Thursday, as temperatures are expected to hit the high 30s celsius. Burbank, a suburb north of Los Angeles, recorded 39C on Saturday, a few degrees shy of the October record for the region set in 1987. A persistent area of high pressure will remain in place this week, leading to further hazardous hot weather and increased fire risk.Parts of Indonesia are in the midst of an extreme wildfire season, which has peaked over the past month. Western Kalimantan (Borneo) and southern Sumatra have been particularly badly affected. The lack of rainfall has dried the usually water-logged tropical soils, meaning that fires have been able to spread quickly, above and below the surface. Indonesia’s soils are also extremely rich in peat, meaning that the smoke produced from the fires contain higher levels of toxic gases such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Cities in surrounding areas and as far as Malaysia and Singapore have experienced reduced air quality in recent weeks as a result. Drought and wildfires are more common in this part of the world during El Niño events owing to suppressed thunderstorm activity. Continue reading...