NPR News: 07-04-2026 12PM EDT

Jeanine Herbst· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. Fourth of July celebrations are getting underway in cities and towns across the country today, but a dangerous heat wave is forcing schedule changes, prompting some cancellations, and raising concerns about heat-related illnesses. NPR's Brian Mann has more.

Brian Mann0:19

For a lot of Americans, like eight-year-old Logan Longsworth from New Jersey, this holiday is just about having fun.

Logan Longsworth· Soundbite0:25

How I'm gonna be celebrating the Fourth of July is I'm gonna light some firecrackers and stuff like that, and we also saw the Statue of Liberty.

Brian Mann0:33

But people in much of the country are facing dangerous heat. An Independence Day parade scheduled for today in Washington, DC was canceled. Many events have been rescheduled to start later to avoid the hottest part of the day. Fireworks have been banned in parts of the country because of high wildfire risk. Officials are warning the public to take lots of precautions, limit your time outdoors, bring water, and stay in the shade whenever you can. Brian Mann, NPR News, New York.

Jeanine Herbst· Host0:58

As the West faces hot and dry conditions, many large wildfires are burning uncontrolled acro- across Colorado, including one outside of Pueblo that's destroyed more than 150 structures. Meanwhile, Grand Junction hosts a public memorial tomorrow for three wild land firefighters killed last weekend. Colorado Public Radio's Stina Seig has more.

Stina Seig1:19

Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson, and Sydney Watson will be remembered in an outdoor public memorial under skies still smoky from wildfires burning across the