Southern California baked under a third day of record-setting heat as firefighters continued battling wildfires across the state and officials grappled with triple-digit temperatures that have spurred further calls for voluntary energy use reduction to avoid rolling blackouts.
The California Independent System Operator, which manages the power grid, has extended a Flex Alert into Saturday, officials announced Friday evening. During a Flex Alert, consumers are asked to conserve energy from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., hours when the grid is most stressed.
“Californians are strongly urged to lower electricity use by setting thermostats to 78 or higher, health permitting, avoid using major appliances, and turning off all unnecessary lights,” the officials said. “Tomorrow’s Flex Alert is the fourth consecutive call for conservation, as much of the state remains gripped in an extensive heat wave.”
The Antelope Valley saw two high-temperature records broken on Friday. Lancaster’s high of 113 degrees broke the previous daily record of 112 degrees set in 1950, said Tom Fisher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Palmdale’s high of 110 degrees eclipsed the previous high of 109 in 1996.
Forecasters will be keeping an eye on conditions Saturday and Sunday, Fisher said, adding that Sunday will probably bring the heat wave’s most intense temperatures. The Route fire, which ignited Wednesday afternoon near Castaic, prompting mandatory evacuations, has charred 5,208 acres, destroyed two structures, and threatened hundreds more, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. As of Friday night, the fire was 56% contained.
All evacuation orders were lifted Thursday afternoon and the blaze is expected to be fully contained by next week, fire officials said. Crews will mop up hot spots near containment lines before the midday heat sets in, officials said.
The two right lanes of northbound Interstate 5 will be closed through the Labor Day weekend so crews can make emergency repairs to the roadway that was damaged in the fire, officials said. The lanes will be closed between Lake Hughes Road and Templin Highway while the two left lanes remain open. Southbound I-5 lanes have reopened. (Yahoo News)
