California temperatures are soaring over the weekend, sending people to mountains and beaches, and raising doubts over power outages and another possible spike in coronavirus cases.
Regions in the Golden State were projected to hit triple digits: downtown Los Angeles was expected to hit 107 degrees Fahrenheit, while Death Valley hit a new record-high of 125 degrees Fahrenheit. The National Weather Service notes that it has officially surpassed its previous record of 119 degrees Fahrenheit back in 2017.
Government Warnings Due to the Heatwave
The Malibu Search and Rescue has tweeted an "Excessive Heat Warning" telling people not to hike over the holiday weekend, especially with dogs. The local officials overseeing the Santa Monica Mountains have closed off all trails Saturday evening, September 5, after multiple reports of heatstroke victims, already resulting in one fatality.
***EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING***
Do not hike this holiday weekend, especially with dogs.
At 2pm the temp was 120.9 (121) at Pierce College Weather Station. @NWSLosAngeles , is that a new all time record high for LA County? pic.twitter.com/3oUzHYVPGq — Malibu Search Rescue (@MalibuSAR) September 6, 2020
A 41-year-old woman reportedly started hiking near the Malibu Creek trail at around 8 a.m. on Saturday, according to David Katz, Malibu Search and Rescue Team spokesperson. A few hours later, the woman suffered a seizure. Although CPR was administered to the woman for 20 to 30 minutes, she was later pronounced dead. Aside from the Malibu Search and Rescue Team, teams from the California State Parks, the LA County Fire Department, and a McCormick Ambulance also responded to the emergency.
The agency in charge of the state power grid, the California Independent System Operator, also issued a "Flex Alert" for 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., from Saturday to Monday. The alert asks people to conserve power, reduce appliance usage, and keep their air conditioners at 78 degrees Fahrenheit (25.6 degrees Celsius) or above.
NBC Los Angeles reports that grid operators did not expect rolling blackouts, which occurred during a previous heatwave episode in August, will happen again. However, they warned that unforeseen problems, such as fires that might also arise from excessive heat, could pose a threat to the state's power supply.
The intense temperatures, carried by dry winds included in the forecasts, could create fiery weather. It will further strain the state's 13,000 firefighters, who are already hard-pressed to control the major wildfires across the state.
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Social Distancing and Coronavirus Risks
Another concern for the heatwave that drove crowds of people to the beaches and mountains is the risk of increased COVID-19 cases. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, LA County beaches were previously closed over the Fourth of July weekend. Holiday gatherings, which create an influx of people, were cited as a factor in increased COVID-19 cases in some places.
Noted as one of the biggest social gatherings holidays in the United States, Labor Day poses a risk of contracting the coronavirus disease. However, according to Professor Ali Mokdad from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, shared the safest ways to gather.
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"The only way I can recommend for you to behave is to assume you are, in fact, infected," Mokdad noted. He explained that this sends a clear message to the younger members of the group, being role models to survive the pandemic.
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