Pacific Northwest swelters in record-breaking temps as firefighters battle wildfires in California

CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — The heat is so intense in the Pacific Northwest that roads are actually buckling. In Portland, Oregon, temperatures soared to an all-time record high of 116-degrees, for the third day in a row, cracking some sidewalks.

Commuter trains had to be shut down because electrical lines which feed them power melted in triple-digit heat.

Over in Seattle, the heat buckled the pavement on a busy interstate as temperatures reached an all-time record of 108 degrees.

The unprecedented heat is also closing some schools and businesses as residents suffer through rolling blackouts due to heavy power demands.

In Utah, heavy rainfall triggered flash flooding at Zion National Park and created a muddy mess for visitors. The park authority reported a mudslide cut off an access road, which sent drivers back the other direction.

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Farther west in California, several wildfires are burning in extremely dry conditions.

It was a scary moment for some drivers as flames from the Shell Fire scorched a hillside. Nearly 2,000 acres have been burned while the blaze is 85% contained.

Also in California, the Lava Fire exploded to more than 17,000 acres near Mount Shasta. That blaze stands at only 19% containment.

A time-lapse video showed the massive amount of smoke billowing into the skies, which raised alarm about air quality in that area.