• Brian Klatt, a Ukiah Valley Fire Authority firefighter, pauses as a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection helicopter makes a drop on a brush fire that broke out next to a sawmill burning slash and large felled timber, Saturday, July 10, 2021, in Ukiah, Calif. . (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat via AP)
    Brian Klatt, a Ukiah Valley Fire Authority firefighter, pauses as a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection helicopter makes a drop on a brush fire that broke out next to a sawmill burning slash and large felled timber, Saturday, July 10, 2021, in Ukiah, Calif. . (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat via AP)
  • Thick, acrid smoke envelops firefighters as they battle a brush and timber slash fire north of Ukiah, California.
    Thick, acrid smoke envelops firefighters as they battle a brush and timber slash fire north of Ukiah, California.
  • Fires burn in Doyle, California.
    Fires burn in Doyle, California.
  • A firefighter sprays water while trying to stop a blaze from spreading to neighbouring homes in Doyle, California. Pushed by heavy winds amid a heatwave, the fire came out of the hills and destroyed several residences.
    A firefighter sprays water while trying to stop a blaze from spreading to neighbouring homes in Doyle, California. Pushed by heavy winds amid a heatwave, the fire came out of the hills and destroyed several residences.
  • Flames consume a vehicle in Doyle, California.
    Flames consume a vehicle in Doyle, California.
  • Fire consumes a home in Doyle, California. Pushed by heavy winds, fires came out of the hills and destroyed several houses in central Doyle.
    Fire consumes a home in Doyle, California. Pushed by heavy winds, fires came out of the hills and destroyed several houses in central Doyle.
  • Pushed by heavy winds, fires came out of the hills and destroyed several homes in central Doyle.
    Pushed by heavy winds, fires came out of the hills and destroyed several homes in central Doyle.
  • Fire consumes a home in Doyle, California.
    Fire consumes a home in Doyle, California.
  • Fire burns an electricity pole as blazes tear through Doyle, California.
    Fire burns an electricity pole as blazes tear through Doyle, California.
  • US Forest Service firefighter Chris Voelker monitors a fire burning in Plumas National Forest, California.
    US Forest Service firefighter Chris Voelker monitors a fire burning in Plumas National Forest, California.

US firefighters struggle to contain wildfires amid record heatwave


James Reinl
  • English
  • Arabic

Firefighters in the western US were on Sunday struggling to contain wildfires as the region was struck by a heatwave that has caused record temperatures.

Large fires are burning across a dozen western states, including Alaska, according to the US National Interagency Fire Centre.

Nearly 10,000 firefighters and support staff are tackling 57 blazes across 15 states nationally, the centre said on Saturday.

Communities have been told to evacuate their homes and two firefighters have died in an aircraft crash.

A wildfire raging uncontrollably across southern Oregon has knocked out electrical lines and hit power supplies in California and Nevada.

Sweltering conditions have struck much of the Pacific coastline and as far inland as the western edge of the Rocky Mountains this weekend, covering an area that is home to more than 30 million people.

Las Vegas matched its record of 47.2 Celsius on Saturday.

California’s Death Valley National Park, about 180km west of Las Vegas, registered a high of 54 Celsius on Friday.

Forecasters issued heat warnings for Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Jose, the Silicon Valley technology hub south of San Francisco.

"Over 30 million people remain under either excessive heat warnings or heat advisories," the National Weather Service said in a weekend alert.

The weekend's hot weather follows another heatwave that struck the western US and Canada last month.

The Canadian province of British Columbia then recorded all-time high temperatures for three days in a row.

The death toll is not yet known but is thought to run into the hundreds.

It was the hottest June on record in North America, according to European Union climate scientists.

Emissions of heat-trapping gases have driven global temperatures up, stoking fierce storms, extreme heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.

The last six years, including 2020, have been the six warmest on record.

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
A German university was a good fit for the family budget

Annual fees for the Technical University of Munich - £600

Shared rental accommodation per month depending on the location ranges between  £200-600

The family had budgeted for food, books, travel, living expenses - £20,000 annually

Overall costs in Germany are lower than the family estimated 

As proof that the student has the ability to take care of expenses, international students must open a blocked account with about £8,640

Students are permitted to withdraw £720 per month

UAE tour of the Netherlands

UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match

Updated: July 12, 2021, 10:30 AM