California's Death Valley might hit 130 in 'extreme health risk' heat wave

July 5 (UPI) -- An intense heat wave considered an extreme health risk for tens of millions of people is expected to peak over the weekend through Monday in California and western states. The record-setting heat is helping fuel wildfires.

Death Valley's Furnace Creek is forecast to hit nearly 130 degrees Saturday through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

Roughly 125 million people were under heat alerts Friday in the West in the 100-120 degrees range and 80-100s throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Death Valley National Park posted an extreme summer heat advisory that stated, "Expect high temperatures of 100°F to 130°F (43°C to 54°C). Minimize time outside in heat. Do not hike after 10 am. Drink plenty of water. Travel prepared to survive; cell phones do not work in most of the park."

Dangerous heat and red-flag warnings were issued by the weather service in multiple zones statewide in California as well as in southern and western Nevada and into northwestern Arizona.

Saturday is expected to be the hottest day.

According to the NWS Las Vegas office, the Greenland Ranch area in Death Valley could see close to the world record high 134 degrees recorded July 10, 1913.

"Bring your pets indoors. This heat is very dangerous ," the NWS Las Vegas said in a statement on X. "Yes, the Mojave Desert gets hot. But this heat will be record-breaking."

The heat is expected to continue through Wednesday and into Thursday in some areas as more than 50 cities from the Pacific Northwest into Arizona are expected to set heat records.

In San Francisco weather service forecasts and heat warnings, the agency is reminding people that heat is "the No. 1 weather-related killer in the United States."

Research organization Climate Central said climate change caused by humans is making these kinds of heat waves much more likely to happen.

The scorching heat waves also greatly enhance the risks of wildfires such as California's Thompson and French fires that broke out this week.