Extreme weather hits US with fires, flooding, heat

WASHINGTON

Extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change erupted across the US this week, bringing excessive heat, flooding and fires to various parts of the country.

Authorities were forced to shutter and evacuate Yellowstone National Park, one of the country's most heavily visited nature reserves, after heavy rain led to mass flooding and rockslides.

That included the Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs rising by nearly 6 feet (182 cm) from Sunday through Monday, according to the US Geological Survey.

A video posted online by the National Park Service showed the North Entrance Road being overtaken by an adjacent river at several points, with parts of the roadway completely washed out.

The park is expected to remain closed through Wednesday "at a minimum," the park said on Twitter.

Some towns near the park were isolated and tourists were stranded there, The Associated Press reported.

Meanwhile, a pair of fires erupted in Arizona near Flagstaff, darkening skies with dense smoke. The Pipeline Fire has consumed roughly 20,100 acres while the Haywire/Double Fire has burned 4,000 acres, according to the state's Department of Environmental Quality.

"With strong gusty winds and low relative humidity yesterday (Monday), both fires were very active with smoke moving toward the northeast throughout the day," it said.

Wildfires were also reported in the state of California, including the Sheep Fire northeast of Los Angeles, which has consumed nearly 1,000 acres.

Excessive heat continues to be recorded across much of the country with the National Weather Service reporting excessive heat warnings or heat advisories in at least two dozen states.

"'Heat' is the word of the day for much of the country east of the Rockies," it said on Twitter. "Widespread heat indicies of 100+ degrees are dangerous for those working or playing outdoors for long periods."