Wildfires feared out West as storms strike heartland

Excessive heat warnings have been issued throughout the Southwest.

August 16, 2019, 5:40 AM

More record highs were recorded out West on Thursday -- San Francisco hit 94 and Palm Springs touched 119 -- raising the risk of wildfires.

Several brush fires and wildfires already are burning, from California to Colorado, where evacuations were ordered east of Denver as a fire spread.

Seven states on Friday are under heart and fire danger alerts as more scorching heat is expected in the region, including highs nearing 120 in Arizona.

A red flag warning has been issued in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado because of the dry conditions and gusty winds.

PHOTO: Conditions in the Southwest could lead to more wildfires.
Conditions in the Southwest could lead to more wildfires.
ABC News
PHOTO: Storms are likely to cover most of the heartland on Friday.
Storms are likely to cover most of the heartland on Friday.
ABC News

At least 170 damaging storms, including four tornadoes in Kansas, were reported on Thursday, as winds of almost 80 mph were reported southeast of Kansas City.

On Friday, this storm system is heading east, taking severe weather to an area stretching from Colorado to Illinois. The biggest threats again will be damaging wind, large hail and potentially a few tornadoes.

Related Topics