Dangerously high temperatures to take over Midwest, excessive heat warning issued in Chicago
(NEW YORK) — Thirty-eight million people are under heat alerts Monday as dangerously high temperatures are set to take over the Midwest.
An excessive heat warning has been issued in Chicago, where the heat index — what the temperature feels like with humidity — could reach a scorching 110 degrees on Monday and Tuesday.
The cities of Minneapolis; Madison, Wisconsin; and Omaha, Nebraska, are also under excessive heat warnings. The heat index may climb as high as 115 degrees in these cities on Monday.
In Detroit, public schools will be released three hours early on Monday and Tuesday due to the heat.
The heat will spread east and south through the week. Record highs are possible from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday and from Nashville, Tennessee, to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
This comes after record-high temperatures in Texas this weekend. Amarillo climbed to a record of 104 degrees on Sunday.
There are hundreds of deaths each year in the U.S. due to excessive heat, according to CDC WONDER, an online database, and scientists caution that the actual number of heat-related deaths is likely higher.
(LOS ANGELES) — The wildfire tearing through the foothills of Southern California’s San Bernardino County is now endangering more than 36,000 structures, according to emergency officials.
The Line Fire began on Sept. 5 and has since burned some 20,553 acres east of Los Angeles, with three firefighters so far injured attempting to control the blaze, fire officials said. As of 9:25 p.m. Sunday night local time, the fire remained at 0% containment, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.
No structures have been damaged or destroyed, but the Cal Fire’s Sunday evening update warned that 36,328 structures were under threat.
“Line Fire behavior was moderated Sunday morning due to smoke, but as the afternoon progressed, the smoke cleared and temperatures climbed leading to more fire activity,” Cal Fire said.
“Night flight capable aircraft will be utilized when possible to try to hold the fire within [current] containment lines,” the update said. “Early next week, cooler weather will moderate fire activity below the marine layer. However, fire activity above the marine layer will remain active. There is still potential for spot fires to become established well outside the control lines.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County on Saturday, and mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for residents in the path of the blaze. The evacuations were expanded on Sunday.
Newsom said the state’s request for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance was approved by President Joe Biden on Saturday afternoon.
“I thank President Biden for his swift approval of support for the work of our firefighters and first responders battling this fire and protecting local communities,” Newsom said.
“It’s critical that residents in the impacted areas remain vigilant and prepare to evacuate immediately if called for by local authorities.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Elsewhere, the Bridge Fire in Los Angeles Country has burned around 800 acres north of Azusa in the Angeles National Forest, fire officials said. The fire is at 0% containment and evacuation orders are in place for a mobile home park, campgrounds and a small river community. Night-flying helicopters have been deployed in the effort to control the blaze.
The Boyles Fire in California’s Lake County was at 90 acres late Sunday, 10% contained with Cal Fire noting that “crews are making good progress,” though “forward progress has not been stopped.” Around 30 structures and between 40 and 50 vehicles were destroyed.
Fire fighters are also battling the Davis Fire in Nevada’s Washoe County, where 6,500 acres have been burned and the fire is at 0% containment. The fire is “burning in heavy timber and brush,” according to the U.S. Forest Service. “Gusty conditions” are forecast through the week, the service added on social media, noting that at least 14 structures were so far impacted.
“Power outages continue,” the Forest Service said, with a “portion of south Reno under evacuation notice,” impacting between 12,000 and 14,000 people.
ABC News’ Marilyn Heck contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Friday’s wave of global IT outages, which affected CrowdStrike customers who use Windows products, has led to more than 1,100 flight cancelations and hundreds of delays in the U.S., leaving travelers to navigate uncharted next steps as major airlines deploy workarounds and slowly come back online.
With interim efforts underway at American Airlines, United and Delta, Nick Ewen, a travel expert and senior editorial director of The Points Guy, told ABC News that there’s a potential lengthier domino effect as they get back to fully operational.
“There may be knock-on effects with the impacted airlines throughout the day and even into the weekend,” he said. “This is because planes and crew members get stranded when a flight is cancelled, and if that plane and/or crew are scheduled to operate two more flights later in the day, and then another four the next day, all of those are at risk of being disrupted.”
Tips to navigate flight, travel delays and reimbursements this weekend amid CrowdStrike outages
For anyone traveling this weekend, Ewen suggested people “make sure they’re proactively keeping an eye on their flights to learn about delays or cancellations as soon as possible.”
“Download your airline’s app, which may allow you to track where your inbound plane is coming from. If not, an app like FlightRadar24 allows you to see the registration number of the plane scheduled to operate your flight,” he said. “If you’re waiting to depart from New York in two hours and your plane is still sitting in Texas, you’re not leaving on time — even if the airline’s system is saying your flight is on schedule.”
For anyone experiencing significant delays, especially if it forces travelers to stay overnight at an airport, Ewen said to “inquire with your airline about hotel and food vouchers.”
“If they are unable — or unwilling — to provide them, investigate any trip delay protection you may have on the credit card you used for the flight,” he added. “In some cases, you may be eligible for reimbursement for extra expenses incurred — though you’d still need to submit a claim with the benefits provider. So save your receipts.”
Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp, a claims management company, echoed Ewen’s advice for travelers to retain receipts for any incurred expenses during the delays, telling ABC News “it’s crucial for passengers to understand their rights and know their options during disruptions.”
“Although this incident is beyond the control of airlines and airports, passengers still have certain rights under U.S. Department of Transportation regulations,” he said. “The passengers are entitled to assistance from the airline. This can include rebooking on the next available flight and, in some cases, meal vouchers and accommodation if the delay extends overnight.”
Pawliszyn said that later this year, there will be some updated rules in place.
“The new refund rules apply when the airline has rescheduled the flight for either an earlier or later time with a margin of 3-4 hours, depending on whether it is a domestic or international flight,” he explained. “When this happens, if the passenger rejects the reschedule, the passenger has a right to obtain a cash refund as opposed to a voucher. “
He added that the new rules “will not apply until after the summer.”
(TEMPE, Ariz.) — Police in Tempe, Arizona, are investigating after a Wells Fargo employee was found dead in her cubicle four days after she last scanned into the building.
The Tempe Police Department responded to the office on Aug. 20 after being notified by building security.
Police identified the worker as Denise Prudhomme, 60.
Her cause of death has not yet been determined.
“The preliminary investigation did not show any obvious signs of foul play,” police said.
Prudhomme scanned into the building the morning of Friday, Aug. 16, police said. Her body was found on Aug. 20 in her third-floor cubicle, and she was pronounced dead at 4:55 p.m., according to the authorities.
A spokesperson for Wells Fargo said Prudhomme’s cubicle was in an underpopulated part of the building and that colleagues were informed of her death after her family was notified.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague, Denise Prudhomme,” a spokesperson said. “Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones, and we are in contact to ensure they are well supported during this difficult time.”
The Wells Fargo spokesperson said counselors would be made available to support employees affected by the incident.
“We are committed to the safety and wellness of our workforce,” the spokesperson added.