Fourteen state attorneys general are urging the federal government to declare extreme heat and wildfire smoke major disasters. The petition comes as millions of people face excessive heat advisories, and large swaths of the western US and Canada battle ongoing wildfires. …Arizona attorney general, Kris Mayes, in a letter submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday said, “We urge Fema to update its regulations to prepare for this hotter, smokier future.” Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are not recognized by Fema as major disasters. In June, a coalition of environmental, labor and health groups petitioned the federal agency to grant that recognition under the Stafford Act which oversees disaster relief. …Extreme heat is responsible for more weather-related deaths in the US annually than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined. And even low levels of exposure to wildfire smoke can worsen conditions such as asthma and heart and lung disease.