Sept 4 (Reuters) – Record high temperatures were expected in California’s Central Valley from Sacramento to outside Los Angeles on Sunday, with officials warning that dangerous heat could hit the state by the end of the week and test the boundaries of the electric grid. State officials on Sunday urged residents to cut power for a fifth straight day as energy demand increased and temperatures continued to soar. The worst of the heat was concentrated in the Central Valley on Sunday. The thermometer could reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius) by midweek, the National Weather Service said, warning residents to stay indoors to avoid heat-related illnesses. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up “The heat wave begins in earnest today with dangerous temperatures now forecast to extend into the end of the week,” the National Weather Service in Sacramento tweeted Sunday. The Southern California city of San Diego, which hit a record Saturday of 95 degrees, could set another record Sunday, National Weather Service meteorologist Tony Fracasso said, although the chance of afternoon storms could provide some relief. Crime film covers the area near burned cars, in the wake of the Mill Fire, in Weed, California, U.S., September 3, 2022. REUTERS/Fred Greaves/File Photo California’s Independent System Operator (ISO), which oversees the state’s power grid, has extended a “flexible advisory” for a fifth day, asking state residents to set their thermostats at 78 degrees or higher, avoid using large appliances and turn off the lights in order to save energy. “Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in particular are shaping up to be the toughest of this heat wave,” the agency said in a press release. He added that the state’s ongoing wildfires and potential new fires could further strain the power grid, crippling power lines and generators. More than two decades of drought and warming, exacerbated by climate change, have made California more vulnerable than ever to wildfires. In Northern California’s Siskiyou County, where firefighters battled a fast-moving wildfire that forced thousands to evacuate their homes, the high temperature forecast for Sunday was 95 degrees. Two people died in the fire, Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue said at a community meeting Sunday, according to a video his office shared on social media. The temperature in the next few days is expected to reach 100 degrees. The fire had burned more than 4,000 acres and was 25 percent contained as of Sunday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting by Gabriella Borter and Michael Martina. Editing by Mark Porter and Bradley Perrett Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
