Heat wave scorches east Canada

Eastern Canada is sweltering under an extreme heat wave that has sent the mercury soaring and set new temperature records in many places. In Montreal, where the temperature reached 34°C when the previous record was just under 30°C, homeless shelters are getting organized to provide water and fresh air.

The record-breaking heat wave on Thursday that risked inflaming wildfires ravaging the Atlantic coast and other parts of the country with "unprecedented" ferocity and scale.More than 210 fires were burning across Canada, including 82 out of control. And more than 2.7 million hectares have been scorched already this year, eight times more than the last three decades' average, say officials.