Washington, July 4 -- Extreme heat, drought and dangerous fire weather conditions are greatly raising wildfire risks across large swathes of western US ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, prompting evacuation orders, fireworks restrictions and warnings from emergency officials.
Millions of Americans celebrating the country's 250th Independence Day have been urged to exercise caution as the combination of record temperatures, dry vegetation and strong winds create the ideal conditions for blazing wildfires, with authorities warning that even a single spark from fireworks could lead to huge blazes in areas already struggling with drought and extreme heat.
The National Weather Service has warned that "dangerous, record-breaking heat...