Justin Bullock, FISM News
The entirety of the Western United States is still suffering from extreme drought and record high temperatures. This has resulted in extreme water shortages, a historic wildfire season, and power grid complications. Many in the region have lost their homes to to fires or abandoned them as they seek temporary relief. Seemingly nothing can be done to break the heat apart from prayer and letting it run its course.
The State Water Project in California was forced to shut down a 750 megawatt hydroelectric power plant near Lake Oroville because of the heat, drought, and water shortages. The plant, before it was shut down, provided power for around 750,000 homes in California and had been in operation since it was built in 1967. This is just one instance of many where the high temperatures have resulted in problems for Americans with respect to power outages. As temperatures get higher and higher, rolling blackouts become more frequent.
In addition, wild fires are still burning throughout California and other parts of the Western US. The Dixie Fire is still raging as the second largest wildfire in recorded California history. Firefighters are working day and night to fight the ongoing fires as well as doing the best they can to take the necessary steps to prevent the sparking of new fires. With temperatures so high, everything is incredibly dry and fires start very easily. Firefighters’ jobs are also made more difficult as the heat and drought has resulted in water shortages and the high temperatures evaporates a lot of water before it can even touch the flames.