the beginning of one Extended, potentially dangerous heat wave Fires raged across Northern California on Tuesday, prompting Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to begin its first planned power outages of the year that are expected to last at least through Wednesday.
PG&E, California’s major electric provider, implemented public safety power shutoffs Tuesday morning in eight counties — Butte, Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama and Yolo — “due to high winds and dry conditions,” according to the utility’s website. The shutoffs are intended to protect the utility’s equipment from catching fire during dangerous conditions.
PG&E said the outage affected about 2,000 customers Tuesday morning. statement It had “delayed the start of planned (shutoffs) for about 10,000 additional customers — mostly in Glenn and Shasta counties” due to “favorable weather conditions.”
The power provider is still monitoring the weather, and further power outages are possible.
The Sacramento Valley and much of the Bay Area mountains are under red flag warnings — issued for high fire risk — as well extreme heat warning Tuesday. A red flag alert issued until Wednesday evening warns of a combination of 30 mph winds, low humidity and warm temperatures that “could contribute to extreme fire events,” according to National Weather Service,
California firefighters are already battling several fires across the state, the most urgent Basin FireThe fire has burned more than 13,000 acres in the Sierra National Forest in Fresno County. The fire was 17% contained as of Tuesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire is a short distance from Balch Camp, an isolated community where more than 150 people were evacuated as the flames raged. PG&E owns power infrastructure there, but a spokesperson for the utility said none of its facilities were affected as of Tuesday morning.
Firefighters are also trying to contain the Fresno Lightning Complex fire, which has grown to about 10,600 acres over the past few days and was 86% contained as of Tuesday morning.
“Extremely hot weather causes plants to dry out, which increases the risk for wildfires,” Cal Fire said. Warning was given on social media. “Avoid activities that could start a wildfire, such as parking on dry grass, pulling chains or using equipment during the hottest times of the day. Remember, one less spark means one less fire.”
The most dangerous fire weather will only last until midweek, but officials are warning that extreme heat will continue for a week or more in some areas of the state.
“This is going to be a prolonged heat event that will certainly be a serious concern for heat-related illnesses if people don’t take the proper precautions,” said Kate Forrest, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sacramento. Forecasters expect this to be a potentially record-breaking heat event, with several days of triple-digit temperatures and little relief overnight.
Redding could break or tie the record for most consecutive days over 110 degrees, which lasted six days in 1978. Forrest said temperatures are forecast to be 110 or above in Redding from Wednesday through Monday, with Saturday expected to be the hottest day at 116 degrees, which would tie the current record. It’s likely the heat will last even longer.
“It’s definitely going to get close to that record,” he said.
Excessive heat warnings will be in effect across the state from Tuesday through the weekend, with most areas under different heat advisories tied to their specific forecasts.
Most of the inland valleys and hills of Los Angeles County, including the San Fernando Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains, are included in this region. monitor extreme heat Wednesday through Sunday, when high temperatures of 95 to 110 degrees are expected. Even coastal communities in Southern California are getting into it heat advisory Temperatures could reach 95 degrees Thursday through Sunday.
The Central Valley could experience extreme heat for a week or more, with temperatures expected to reach or exceed 107 degrees from Tuesday through July 8.
Highs in the Coachella Valley and San Diego County desert are forecast to reach 121 degrees. Temperatures in the Antelope Valley are forecast to reach 115 degrees.
The weather service warns that high temperatures in Death Valley could reach 127 degrees this weekend, while “low temperatures may not drop below 90 degrees for several days.”
In the far northwestern corner of the state, officials are warning of some potentially record-breaking temperatures, with highs expected to top 110 degrees in northern Humboldt County from Wednesday through the weekend. The weather service warned that highs could reach 115 degrees in parts of Trinity and Lake counties.
Most inland areas of the Bay Area could see highs of up to 110 degrees. San Francisco, where highs could remain in the low 90s, is placed in a cooler climate. heat advisory Temperatures above 100 degrees were recorded on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
“This would be a statewide heat event, and it could last quite a long time,” UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain wrote in an article. Blog Post Sunday“It is quite possible that temperatures will remain consistently above average in the interior as well as higher elevations for the next 2+ weeks, until mid-July.”
Times staff writer Rachel Uranga contributed to this report.
