Around 162 million at risk as U.S. braces for holiday heat wave; wildfires rage in the West
Deadly floods, wildfires and heat wave batter the U.S.03:30June 29, 2026, 11:12 AM EDT / Updated June 29, 2026, 6:24 PM EDTBy Mirna Alsharif, Kathryn Prociv and Christine RappMillions of people will have to brace themselves for an exceptionally hot July Fourth week as most of the U.S. prepares for a heat wave — all as deadly wildfires continue to burn in the West.
Around 162 million people are under heat alerts from the Great Plains to the Northeast, spanning 35 states. The heat is expected to ramp up through the week, with temperatures soaring into the upper 90s and 100s. Heat index values — or what the heat actually feels like to the human body — could reach 105 to 115 degrees.
Cities in the risk zone include Boston; New York; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Washington; Chicago; Minneapolis; St. Louis; Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta; Orlando, Florida; and Cleveland.
The temperature in Chicago was 92 degrees Monday afternoon but felt like 102, according to the National Weather Service — and peak heat indexes were forecast between 100 and 110 degrees through Wednesday. In Dayton, Ohio, it felt like 100 degrees, the service said.
The dangerously hot conditions will linger over the central U.S. this week, expanding into the Northeast starting Wednesday and lasting into the holiday weekend.
Major to extreme heat risk is expected Tuesday, with warm overnight temperatures offering little relief and increasing the risk of heat-related illness.
The heat will peak Thursday through Saturday for the Midwest, the Great Lakes, the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. By July Fourth, close to 100 daily record highs will have been set.
New York City is expected to record temperatures as high as 95 Friday, with a heat index of 106. Washington and Raleigh, North Carolina, will have highs of 103 later this week, with heat indexes of 108 and 107, respectively.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson warned residents Monday to prepare for extreme heat that “can be very dangerous.” The city is under an extreme heat warning until Wednesday, Mike Bardou, a warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said at the briefing.
“If you can, stay inside with air conditioning on,” Johnson said. “If you do not have air conditioning, keep your blinds closed but windows slightly open.”
Johnson also said the Department of Family & Support Services will open six community cooling centers around the city. He encouraged Chicagoans to stay hydrated and check on their more vulnerable neighbors.
Bardou, who spoke about a 1995 heat wave that killed hundreds in Chicago, warned that heat-related illnesses can take victims by surprise.
“Heat is kind of one of those sneaky things, in a sense. Relative to a thunderstorm coming or blizzard, you don’t necessarily realize the effects until it’s too late,” he said. “And the effects of heat are cumulative, so day by day that goes by that you don’t have that ability to recover, cool off, the effects are worsening.”
Western wildfires
Over the weekend, numerous new wildfires erupted across the interior West, especially across Utah and Colorado.
Around 2 million people were under fire alerts Monday across the Four Corners states — Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah — as well as parts of Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska.
Three firefighters were killed tackling fires on the Colorado-Utah border over the weekend. The U.S. Forest Service identified them as Sydney Watson, 27; Nick Hutcherson, 27; and Emily Barker, 38.
“Our thoughts are with their families, loved ones, friends and crewmates as they face an unimaginable loss,” U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy said in a statement. “These firefighters embodied the courage, professionalism and selflessness that define the wildland fire service.”
Two more firefighters were injured and were receiving medical care, the Forest Service said.
The largest of the fires, the Cottonwood Fire in southwest Utah, was more than 93,000 acres and remained 0% contained, according to WatchDuty.com, which has been tracking the blaze.
More than 50 large fires are burning across the country, covering over 460,000 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Air quality alerts are also in effect for much of Colorado because of the wildfire smoke.
There is an elevated risk of wildfires across the region and the Southwest, with the risk Tuesday increasing to critical once again for parts of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.
Mirna AlsharifMirna Alsharif is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.
Kathryn ProcivKathryn Prociv is a senior meteorologist and producer for NBC News.
Christine RappChristine Rapp is a meteorologist for NBC News.
Lindsay Good contributed.Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
