West suffers

wildfires

(AP) — Extreme heat and dry, windy conditions are fueling several wildfires in the West, including an uncontained blaze in Utah that forced the evacuation of a small town southwest of Salt Lake City.

Authorities said Sunday the Iron Fire in Utah’s Juab County had blackened 34 square miles, and all 1,000 residents of the town of Eureka were forced to leave their homes. No structures were lost as of Sunday.

In Colorado, the southwest corner of the state was under a red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service due to gusty winds and low relative humidity. Another wildfire prompted evacuations over the weekend near Sedona, Arizona.

Colombians

cast votes

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombians have voted in a runoff election between a progressive and a conservative outsider. Business owner and lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella and lawmaker Iván Cepeda are vying for the presidency in Sunday’s vote.

Both candidates aim to address the country’s tenuous security, as well as social and financial challenges. De la Espriella proposes a tough approach to violence, similar to El Salvador’s president. Cepeda wants to continue outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s dialogue efforts with armed groups.

The election comes 10 years after Colombia’s peace pact with the armed group FARC, but violence has surged. Official results were expected within hours from polls closing.

France deals

with heat

PARIS (AP) — France is in the grips of a severe heat wave, leading to canceled trains, concerts and sports events. Authorities have banned public drinking in “red alert” zones to reduce risks.

Temperatures reached 40 C or 104 F on Sunday with even hotter conditions expected today. The Eiffel Tower and other venues have set up misting stations to cool crowds.

Spain, Italy and Germany are also sweltering with temperatures soaring to dangerous levels. The World Health Organization warns that more than 200,000 people in Europe have died from heat-related causes over the last four years.

Man falls to

death in NY

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police say a 51-year-old Connecticut man fell to his death during a concert at Madison Square Garden. Officers responding to a 911 call around 9:51 p.m. Saturday found the man unconscious and unresponsive with injuries indicating a fall from an elevated position.

The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police identified him as Paul Kueker of Niantic, Connecticut.

The rock band “Goose” was performing. In a statement on Facebook, the band said it was deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn about the event.