Saturday, July 4Saturday, July 4A historic heat wave has forced the cancellation or postponement of dozens of Fourth of July celebrations across the eastern United States, disrupting the nation’s 250th anniversary festivities just as President Donald Trump prepared to stage what he called “the most spectacular TRUMP RALLY of them all” in Washington, DC. Temperatures soared past 40°C in cities from New York to Philadelphia, straining power grids and sending hundreds to medical tents for heat-related illnesses, while parades, concerts and fireworks displays were scrapped to protect public safety.
In Washington, DC, organizers canceled the traditional Independence Day parade after a heat advisory warned that outdoor exposure could pose “serious health risks.” The Great American State Fair on the National Mall, a centerpiece of the semiquincentennial celebrations, was shut for several hours on Friday after at least a dozen attendees required treatment for heat exhaustion, according to the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department . The fair reopened late Friday afternoon but remained under close watch as temperatures hovered near 38°C.
Across the country, the cancellations extended from New Jersey and Maryland to Colorado, where organizers in Philadelphia scrapped the “Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial” parade, once billed as one of the largest in the nation . In Watertown, New York, a planned concert was also called off, and multiple outdoor World Cup matches were delayed as the heat wave intensified. The National Weather Service reported that more than 165 million Americans were under heat advisories on Friday, with Newark, New Jersey, recording 40.5°C—its highest temperature since records began 154 years ago .
Despite the cancellations, Trump pressed ahead with his own celebration, delivering a combative speech late Friday at Mount Rushmore that framed the anniversary as a defense of American identity against “new threats,” including what he described as a resurgence of “the communist threat.” Speaking to a crowd in near-41°C heat, he vowed to attend Saturday’s rally in Washington regardless of conditions, telling reporters, “It will be about 107 degrees out, and I’m going to give a very long speech—just to show I can do anything” . His event is expected to feature military flyovers and a fireworks display he has billed as “the biggest in the world.”
The heat wave has also exacerbated strains on energy infrastructure, with utilities warning of potential blackouts as air conditioning demand surges. In Portugal, meanwhile, firefighters continued to battle a massive wildfire near Setúbal that injured 10 people—eight firefighters and two civilians—and forced the evacuation of 25 homes, while a separate blaze in Viseu, central Portugal, has burned for two days, involving more than 1,100 personnel . The fires come as France recorded its hottest June on record, with heat-related deaths rising sharply .
Public health officials urged Americans to limit outdoor exposure, stay hydrated and check on vulnerable neighbors as the heat wave shows no signs of abating. In Washington, Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized the federal response, saying in a speech that immigrants—long a target of Trump’s rhetoric—are “essential to this country” and have been “left to suffer” under the extreme conditions . The mayor’s remarks underscored the political fault lines intersecting with the climate crisis as the nation marks its semiquincentennial.
Follow us for live European news
2 further sources not geolocated
Live - Independence Day-parade afgeschaft en festivalterrein later open: ook evenementen rond 250 jaar Verenigde Staten lijden onder hitte
de morgen · about 2 hours ago
Vieringen 250e verjaardag VS aangepast vanwege hitte
trouw · about 2 hours ago
+++ USA +++: Hitzewelle beeinträchtigt Feiern zum Unabhängigkeitstag in den USA US-Gericht – Regierung darf Migranten nicht unbegrenzt ohne Anhörung festhalten +++ US-Einwanderungsbehörde verzeichnet 10.000 Festnahmen in fünf Tagen +++ Der Newsblog.
handelsblatt · about 2 hours ago
Dans le Pacifique, les îles américaines de Guam et Mariannes du Nord se préparent au passage du «super typhon» Bavi Se déplaçant vers lOuest, il a atteint le statut de super typhon ce samedi 4 juillet au matin, poussant les habitants des territoires insulaires, déjà durement éprouvés en avril par le super typhon Sinlaku, à se barricader.
liberation · about 2 hours ago
America250: How the US heatwave will affect Fourth of July celebrations From Washington to LA, how plans to mark the United States 250th anniversary could be disrupted by extreme heat.
aljazeera · about 2 hours ago
8h EUA. Calor cancela festejos dos 250 anos da Independência Trump promete o comício político "mais espetacular de sempre" em Washington. Ainda neste jornal, uma atualização dos incêndios que estão a atingir o país. Ainda o resumo do Argentina-Cabo Verde.
observador · about 2 hours ago
USAs 250-årsdag rammet av hete – parader avlyst Feiringer av USAs 250-årsdag er avlyst i hovedstaden Washington D.C. og andre byer på grunn av ekstrem varme.
aftenposten · about 2 hours ago
Hitze: Parade zum US-Unabhängigkeitstag abgesagt
orf.at · about 2 hours ago
Burning flags, busty blondes and bison skulls: 48 photographs that capture America at 250
bluesky_The Guardian · about 2 hours ago
O futebol é mais prioritário que os fogos? A deslocação do Governo ao Canadá para apoiar a seleção durante uma vaga de calor e incêndios em Portugal mostra uma colagem excessiva ao desporto em prejuízo da gestão política.
observador · about 2 hours ago
Bomb squad shows off power of fireworks in Fourth of July weekend warning A Florida bomb squad has demonstrated the power of fireworks as Americans gear up for Fourth of July celebrations.
independent · about 2 hours ago
Evenimentele de Ziua Americii au fost anulate în Washington și mai multe regiuni din SUA din cauza temperaturii infernale Căldura extremă a perturbat petrecerile de 4 iulie în mai multe regiuni ale SUA, inclusiv prin anularea unei parade în Washington, DC, notează BBC.
digi24 · about 3 hours ago
Extremhetta drabbar USA på självständighetsdagen USA:s 250-årsdag inträffar i samband med en rejäl värmebölja och varningar som omfattar 160 miljoner amerikaner.Larmen om extremhettan har vänt upp och ned på planerade parader och gatufester i städer och samhällen över stora delar av landet.
svenska dagbladet · about 3 hours ago
Canicule : pourquoi le climat sera encore un thème sacrifié de la présidentielle 2027
lexpress · about 3 hours ago
Extremvärme hotar 4 juli-firanden President Donald Trumps dröm om att lördagen ska bli den mest spektakulära födelsedagsfesten kan gå i kras. En oinbjuden gäst har nämligen knackat på dörren – hettan. Flera evenemang har redan ställts in.
dagens nyheter · about 3 hours ago
Grote delen van VS op Onafhankelijkheidsdag gebukt onder extreme hitte Een week na Europa gaat nu een groot deel van de VS gebukt onder een hittegolf. Op sommige plekken bereikt het kwik 46 graden. De hoge temperaturen hebben gevolgen voor de feestelijkheden die zijn gepland voor Onafhankelijkheidsdag.
nu.nl · about 3 hours ago
Monster-uvær nærmer seg amerikansk øygruppe Det tropiske uværet Bavi er oppgradert til såkalt super-tyfon og har kurs rett mot amerikanske territorier i Stillehavet.
aftenposten · about 3 hours ago
Hitzewelle in den USA: Parade zum US-Unabhängigkeitstag wegen Hitze abgesagt Um die 40 Grad, kollabierende Besucher: Zum 250. Jahrestag der USA mussten mehrere Veranstaltungen in Washington abgesagt werden. Donald Trump will dennoch auftreten.
die zeit · about 3 hours ago
Americanii sărbătoresc Ziua Independenței sub un val de caniculă. Parada din Philadelphia a fost anulată Donald Trump a deschis festivitățile de 4 iulie, Ziua Independentei în SUA, cu un discurs susținut la Muntele Rushmore, în timp ce autoritățile au anulat sau au amânat zeci de evenimente în mai multe orașe.
adevarul · about 3 hours ago
Heat wave disrupts Fourth of July events across US, strains power grids A dangerous heat wave upended Fourth of July celebrations across swaths of the central and eastern U.S. on Friday, forcing officials in the nations capital and elsewhere to cancel or postpone dozens of parades, concerts and fireworks displays. Among the events disrupted by the sweltering heat was the Great American State Fair on the National […]
cyprus mail · about 3 hours ago
Fireworks, heat and politics: America celebrates its 250th birthday The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with political polarization and a heat wave as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday
independent · about 3 hours ago
Některé oslavy 250. výročí nezávislosti se v USA ruší kvůli vlně rekordních veder Spojené státy slaví 250 let nezávislosti. Zároveň ale bojují s rekordní vlnou veder, která zasáhla celý východ země. Washington překonal rekord starý 154 let, teplotu 38 stupňů Celsia hlásí i New York a Boston. Philadelphia kvůli horku zrušila největší slavnostní průvod v zemi a úřady varují před přetížením elektrické sítě. Slavnostní průvod i pouť všech států zrušil i Washington.
irozhlas.cz · about 3 hours ago
Entre canicule, long discours et morceau de scène qui seffondre : Les festivités autour des 250 ans des USA créent encore la polémique Alors que les festivités sont à peine en train de débuter, un drame a été évité de justesse après quun morceau de scène sest effondré. ...
la libre · about 3 hours ago
Trump lance les célébrations du 250e anniversaire des États-Unis, perturbées par une vague de chaleur historique Donald Trump a lancé vendredi soir les célébrations du 250e anniversaire des États-Unis au pied de lemblématique Mont Rushmore, alors quune vague de chaleur historique sest abattue depuis plusieurs jours sur lest du pays, perturbant les festivités.
courrier international · about 3 hours ago
Aux Etats-Unis, une canicule exceptionnelle perturbe les 250 ans de lindépendance et la Coupe du monde de football La température a frôlé les 40 °C à New York, Philadelphie et Washington, jeudi et vendredi, entraînant de nombreuses coupures de courant et incitant les organisateurs à retarder le début des festivités du 4-Juillet.
le monde · about 3 hours ago