Some Like It Hot - But Not in Oregon (AUDIO)

New Report Details Extreme Heat Waves, Consequences in U.S.

Oregon kids beating the heat Photo: Bonnie King

(PORTLAND, Ore. ONS) - One month ago, Oregon was boiling, with high temperatures that topped 108 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas.

Today, a report from the National Wildlife Federation says similar occurrences are taking place more often and in more places, and warns that extreme heat will be the new summer norm without dramatic action to halt the effects of climate change.

NWF Climate Scientist Amanda Staudt says they looked at heat wave patterns in 30 cities around the country for the report, and also at the effects on wildlife - and found the hotter the weather, the worse it is for everyone.

"For example, the moose population in Minnesota has dropped dramatically over the last few years because the summer temperatures are too hot."

The report also predicts salmon habitat will continue to shrink as water gets warmer. Staudt says hot weather is just as hard on crops and animals as it is on people, pointing to another example this summer, in Nebraska.

"Four thousand cattle perished when there was an unusually hot day in June after a relatively cool spring. So, this is an issue not just for humans, but also for livestock and wildlife."

The NWF report, "More Extreme Heat Waves: Global Warming's Wakeup Call," concludes that hotter temperatures are as much a public health problem as they are an environmental concern, because they increase ozone levels in the air.

That means children, the elderly, and people with asthma and heart conditions are especially at risk.

The report also contains suggestions for mitigating the effects of extreme heat. Read it online at nwf.org.

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Special thanks to Oregon News Service
Produced and reported by Chris Thomas

Click the play button below for the audio report: