As a record-breaking heat wave sweeps across the central and eastern United States, two cities central to American independence have canceled July 4 celebrations.
Philadelphia canceled its iconic Fourth of July parade, citing extreme heat warnings, as did Washington. D.C.’s city government. The federal government still has a massive event and fireworks show planned on the National Mall.
“This decision was made after extensive and careful consideration of the safety of our participants, spectators and staff as the top priority,” said a statement from the office of Washington D.C.’s Mayor Murial Bowser.
As of Saturday morning, nearly 74 million people are currently under active National Weather Service heat alerts, while roughly 165 million are expected to face major or extreme heat-related health risks through the holiday weekend.
On Thursday, Washington D.C., broke its previous 1898 record—which stood for 128 years at 101°—with a high of 102°.
While Washington D.C., did cancel its parade, other celebrations of America’s 250th are still planned in the nation’s capital, including the “Salute to America Celebration & Fireworks” event and a speech from President Donald Trump.
Trump recently brushed off concerns about the heat, vowing to still deliver a long speech.
“I’m going to go, and I’m going to make a really long speech just to show that I can do anything,” Trump said during a speech in North Dakota on Wednesday.
This comes as temperatures in Washington D.C., are expected to rise to 101° today, while the city’s heat index is expected to hover between 110° and 115°.
Organizers of Saturday’s “Salute to America” celebration have adjusted the event schedule in anticipation of high temperatures. To reduce the amount of time attendees spend waiting in the heat, the event grounds won’t open to the public until 5 p.m.
“The safety and well-being of every guest remains our top priority as we celebrate this historic 250th Independence Day,” Freedom 250, United States Park Police, National Park Service, the United States Secret Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a joint statement. “We are proud to welcome the public to a safe, well-prepared, and truly memorable celebration of America’s 250th birthday.”
You can watch America 250 events live at freedom250.org/.
