Heat wave in the West worsens wildfires and strains power grid
[ad_1]
If you think it’s hot now, just wait. Heat waves are becoming more frequent globally. But how do we measure heat waves? We explain.
USA TODAY
Story Highlights
- “What we have is a situation where the entire region is more than hot, it’s extremely hot.”
- Electricity demands will be pushed to the max into at least the middle of this week.
- On Tuesday, high temperatures were forecast to soar well beyond the century mark across much of the West.
The brutal heat wave scorching the western USA will continue for several more days, forecasters said, exacerbating wildfires and straining the power grid in California.
Although California avoided a third day of rolling blackouts Monday, power grid operators kept a wary eye on the thermometer Tuesday.
“What we have is a situation where the entire region is more than hot, it’s extremely hot,” said Stephen Berberich, California Independent System Operator’s president and CEO.
Pleas for people to leave their air conditioners at higher temperatures and avoid using washing machines and other major appliances seemed to have worked Monday.
“Thank you for conserving,” California ISO said in a tweet.
Death Valley record: Blistering heat to continue in West; California faces more power outages; Death Valley hits record 130
Electricity demands will be pushed to the max into at least the middle of this week as temperatures reach levels 15 to 30 degrees above late-summer averages, AccuWeather said.
California ISO said consumers should be prepared for likely rolling outages during the late afternoons and early evenings through Wednesday because there is not enough energy to meet demand during the heat wave.
Widespread excessive heat warnings and advisories remained in effect Tuesday from the interior Northwest into the Desert Southwest.
A rare ‘firenado’ hit Northern California Saturday due to the Loyalton Wildfire.
USA TODAY
“Soaring temperatures in the western U.S. will mean potentially dangerous conditions again today,” the National Weather Service said. “If you’re working or playing outdoors today, ensure you take frequent breaks in the shade and hydrate. The potential for heat exhaustion and heat stroke today should be taken seriously.”
Tuesday, high temperatures were forecast to soar well beyond the century mark across much of the West. Many locations were likely to surpass 110 degrees in the Desert Southwest, and isolated spots could exceed 120 degrees, the National Weather Service said.
A helicopter drops water Aug. 17 at the River Fire near Salinas, one of 29 wildfires amid searing temperatures in California. (Photo: Noah Berger, AP)
The Weather Service warned that the hot and dry conditions will lead to elevated and critical wildfire danger, especially in the Northwest, where lightning strikes from thunderstorms could ignite fires.
Hot, dry and dangerous: Firefighters battle 29 wildfires across California amid triple-digit temperatures
In California, there were 29 wildfires as of Monday night, according to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection – including the Lake Fire in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles and the Loyalton Fire that jumped the state’s border with Nevada after spawning a rare “firenado” over the weekend.
The fires, in all, have blackened more than 120,000 acres, or 187.5 square miles.
The Weather Service said it may take until Friday or Saturday before excess heat watches and warnings finally ease across the West. A strong ridge of high pressure responsible for the heat wave is forecast to gradually weaken.
This will allow the record heat to moderate by the end of the week, forecasters said.
Contributing: The Associated Press; Jessica Flores, USA TODAY
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/08/18/heat-wave-west-worsens-wildfires-and-strains-power-grid/3391468001/