Climate Impact Report – 9/20

September 20, 2024

Key Facts Of The Day 9/20

On Thursday, a strong storm moved through Pawnee, Oklahoma, flipping over several camping vehicles and downing trees and power lines.
- One person died in an RV that flipped as the storm hit the area.
- Pawnee Public Schools were closed Friday due to storm damage.
Hurricane forecasters are tracking an area of low pressure that could form late this weekend or early next week in the Caribbean Sea.

As of Friday, 46 large active wildfires have burned 1,980,108 acres across AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, SD, WA, and WY. This year, to date, 37,525 wildfires have burned 7,328,123 acres across the country.
In Arizona, 3 fires have burned 18,185 acres as of Thursday.
In California, 7 fires have burned 574,839 acres as of Thursday.
In Colorado, 2 fires have burned 635 acres as of Thursday.
In Idaho, 21 fires have burned 407,088 acres as of Thursday.
In Montana, 11 fires have burned 35,640 acres as of Thursday.
In Nevada, 2 fires have burned 14,056 acres as of Thursday.
In Oregon, 17 fires have burned 345,474 acres as of Thursday.
In South Dakota, 1 fire has burned 15,320 acres as of Thursday.
In Washington, 5 fires have burned 55,636 acres as of Thursday.
In Wyoming, 4 fires have burned 64,510 acres as of Thursday.

The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health plans new protections for workers during extreme heat.
- On Friday and Saturday, heat index values were expected to be above 100 degrees.
- Some thunderstorms were expected in the area on Sunday evening.
- The Dallas-Fort Worth area was expected to reach a heat index value of 105 degrees.
A man and a woman in their 50s died this summer due to heat illness in Dallas County, Texas.
As temperatures continue to rise year after year, playgrounds are becoming dangerously hot for kids.
- Older playgrounds were built using asphalt, which only magnifies the health risks of extreme heat.
- Hot playgrounds also increase the risk of contact burns and heat illnesses. UCLA researchers have recorded surface temperatures of 145 degrees Fahrenheit on playground asphalt.