In CA: Governor issues emergency proclamation facing record-breaking heat, wildfire risk
I’m Cheri Carlson, a reporter at the Ventura County Star, with the news to know heading into a long, sweltering weekend.
But first, a flock of bighorn sheep wandered into a Southern California town this week. Their trek included a jaunt down a palm tree-lined street and ended with a (slow) police escort home.
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Record-breaking heat, a state emergency
Calling it a brutal few days, the National Weather Service said to expect record-breaking heat over the long weekend.
Just a few weeks since the last massive heat wave, the governor issued an emergency proclamation to free up additional energy capacity and avoid another round of rolling blackouts. Meanwhile, the agency that manages the electricity grid issued a statewide flex alert asking people to conserve power from 3 to 9 p.m. Saturday through Monday.
Along with a potential for dangerous heat-related illness, high temperatures plus dry conditions also raised the risk of wildfires. The rest of the year appears to offer more of the same with the latest outlook showing an above-average potential for fires.
And, it's not like the 2020 fire season hasn't been busy enough. Dry lightning in mid-August ignited three of the four largest wildfires in California history. Here's a map showing fires currently burning statewide.
A Labor Day surge? Hospitals hope not.
Health leaders worried about déjà vu as they urged those pushed outside by the expected triple-digit temperatures to gather only with people of their own households, to maintain a 6-foot buffer zone and to wear masks when close to others.
Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends were major contributors to spikes in coronavirus numbers, Ventura County Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin told the Ventura County Star. Labor Day weekend gatherings could mean another COVID-19 surge, he said.
Officials are hoping the shock of what happened this summer will stay on people's minds and keep them safe. If you do head to the beach, you first might want to make a plan to avoid crowds and check to see what's open.
Some drive-up coronavirus testing sites will be taking the weekend off because of the heat. In Riverside County, where temperatures could reach 115 degrees in spots, officials closed sites for the safety of the staff.
Joshua trees facing steep odds; gym ordered to close
- Researchers say climate change and its impact on wildfires might mean fewer Joshua trees and more (quicker to burn) grasslands in the Mojave National Preserve. Last month, a Joshua tree forest in the preserve burned in the Dome Fire, which may be a harbinger of what's to come.
- A Ventura County judge on Friday told the owners of a gym to close down indoor operations and comply with state and local COVID restrictions.
- Looking for things to do in the Palm Springs area? Here are some options, but don't forget your mask.
In California is a roundup of news from across Paste BN Network newsrooms. Also contributing: Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee and the San Francisco Chronicle.