Excessive Heat Warning Issued As 17 States Across U.S. Hit by Dangerously Hot Weather

Heat advisory warnings have been issued for several states in the U.S. as the country continues to cope with scorching temperatures that have caused wildfires and droughts to occur in multiple areas.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued heat advisory warnings for parts of at least 17 states in the U.S., with the areas ranging from Georgia in the south east of the country to Montana in the north west.

"An extensive heat wave will consume the Central US for the next few days. Widespread excessive heat warnings and heat advisories stretch from MT into the South with the potential for a few record high temperatures in the north-central High Plains," the service wrote in a tweet accompanying the advisory map on Tuesday.

The threshold for heat advisories differs between individual states, but the NWS explains that they are issued when "people can be affected by heat if precautions are not taken."

Excessive heat warnings have also been issued in several states, which the NWS says occurs when an area records a "heat index of 105 F or greater that will last for 2 hours or more."

The warnings have been issued in areas surrounding Tulsa in Oklahoma, where temperatures are expected to reach 100 F on Wednesday through to Thursday, and in parts of Montana and Arkansas according to NBC 2.

Parts of Iowa and Minnesota are under an excessive heat watch, which is issued when an area is expected to record temperatures equivalent to the heat warning criteria within 48 hours.

"Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities," the NWS wrote in its warning for Iowa and Minnesota.

"Low temperatures in the low to mid 70s Tuesday night will allow for little relief from the heat overnight, with the warmest conditions expected Wednesday afternoon."

Several of the 17 states under heat advisories are expected to record temperatures that exceed 100 F over the next week, while some parts of the south could see up to 113 F, according to Gizmodo.

The most recent heatwave comes amid scorching temperatures in the U.S. throughout July that has seen wildfires break out in several states, with smoke from the blazes covering parts of all of the lower 48 states.

There are currently 79 large wildfires burning in the U.S. after a heatwave and drought in early July caused blazes to break out across the West Coast, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

More than 21,000 wildland firefighters and incident management teams are currently battling the blazes that have so far burned over 1.5 million acres across 12 states, most severely affecting Oregon, California and Idaho.

The amount of blazes burning in the U.S. has reduced from the 85 that were recorded on Tuesday, but many of them including the largest, the Bootleg Fire in Oregon, are expected to continue destroying acres for the foreseeable future.