Unprecedented global heat fuels massive wildfires in the US and Europe

Scientists warn that global temperatures have reached "uncharted territory."

Massive wildfires have been ravaging the western US and southern Europe amid intense heatwaves this summer, with scientists warning that global temperatures have reached "uncharted territory."

The Earth has just experienced its warmest day in recent history, according to data from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service. On Monday, the daily global average temperature reached a new record high at 17.16 degrees Celcius. This exceeds the previous records of 17.09 degrees Celcius, set just one day before on July 21, and 17.08 degrees Celcius, set a year earlier on July 6, 2023, it said.

"We are now in truly uncharted territory and as the climate keeps warming, we are bound to see new records being broken in future months and years," said Carlo Buontempo, director of the service.

In the United States, two massive wildfires in California have forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes, prompting the California governor to declare a state of emergency on Friday in three counties.

A rapidly spreading blaze in Northern California, known as the Park Fire, had engulfed 239,152 acres (967.81 square kilometers) of land as of Friday evening, making it the state's largest fire this year.

The fire, which began on Wednesday afternoon near Chico, has injured two people, destroyed an estimated 134 structures, and threatened 4,200 more, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Meanwhile, firefighters are grappling with the Gold Complex Fire in Plumas County, California. The blaze was a result of the merging of four separate lightning-sparked fires on Monday in the Plumas National Forest.

In response to these two fires, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in the affected counties on Friday to facilitate local governments' access to much-needed relief and resources, and urged residents to remain vigilant and follow instructions from local authorities.

While California grapples with these blazes, the neighboring state of Oregon faces its own wildfire crisis. The Durkee Fire, currently the largest active wildfire in the United States, continued to expand in eastern Oregon.

The lightning-sparked fire had scorched more than 288,690 acres (1,168.29 square kilometers) of land as of Friday evening, according to the State of Oregon Fires and Hotspots Dashboard. The Durkee Fire has caused three injuries and destroyed two residences and 13 other structures.

Climate scientists attributed the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, particularly those sparked by lightning, to climate change. The region has experienced record-breaking heat and persistent dry weather, creating an environment ripe for rapid fire spread.

In Canada, hundreds of wildfires are burning in its western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta.

Earlier this week, wildfires in Jasper National Park in Alberta province forced some 25,000 visitors and nearby residents to evacuate following a government alert during the area's busiest tourist time of the year.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau authorized the Canadian Armed Forces to respond on Thursday to wildfires raging in Alberta. In a social media post, Trudeau said he was sending "resources, evacuations support, and more emergency wildfire resources to the province immediately -- and we're coordinating firefighting and airlift assistance."

Meanwhile, high temperatures across Europe have increased wildfire risks, causing significant damage and injuries.

Italy, particularly its southern region of Puglia, is grappling with severe wildfires. Approximately 1,000 tourists were evacuated due to intense heat. Fires have destroyed over 10,000 hectares in Italy, with nearly 8,400 hectares burned in the past month.

Amid escalating wildfire threats in southern Europe, the EU has activated its Civil Protection Mechanism to support the most affected regions.