California prepares for scorching, crowded Labor Day weekend

California is sweltering under a dangerous Labor Day weekend heatwave that was expected to spread triple-digit temperatures over much of state while throngs of people might spread coronavirus by packing beaches and mountains for relief. Officials urged people to conserve electricity to ease strain on state’s power grid and to follow social distancing and mask requirements when y hit recreational areas. Los Angeles County lifeguards were bracing for large crowds along 72 miles of coastline y patrol.

“My inkling is we will have a lot of people because you can’t really travel, and next best thing to a Hawaiian beach vacation is an LA beach staycation,” lifeguard spokesman Po Barnes said.

Because of pandemic, L.A. County beaches were closed during Fourth of July weekend. But or counties kept ir shores open. Holiday garings were blamed, in part, for COVID-19 spikes in some counties. Health authorities warned that beaches could be closed if y become too crowded. rush also was on in popular San Bernardi National Forest east of Los Angeles.

“I got a te that most of campgrounds in San Bernardi mountain range are already full, and I expect m to be completely full within hour,” forest spokesman Zach Behrens said at mid-morning Friday.

Behrens said rangers will be out in force on “marshmallow patrols” - keeping an especially close watch for campfires and barbecues outside of designated sites that pose a potential risk of setting a wildfire. y also were worried that surge of people could overwhelm mountain roads. National Wear Service predicted “brutally hot” temperatures through Monday as a high-pressure system perches over Western United States.

Downtown Los Angeles was forecast to reach 107 degrees on Saturday and 108 on Sunday. Napa in wine country could reach 113 degrees, and Death Valley could broil at about 125 degrees.

“It’s as hot as it ever gets, it’s a holiday weekend, lots of events and businesses have moved outdoors because of COVID-19,” Ryan Kittell, a National Wear Service meteorologist, told Long Beach Press-Telegram.

“re are just so many things that make this a dangerous situation.”

California Independent System Operator, which runs state power grid, issued a “Flex Alert” for 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday through Monday, asking people to conserve power by t using appliances and keeping air conditioners at 78 degrees or above. Operators didn’t expect a repeat of rolling blackouts that took place during a mid-August heatwave. But y warned that system could be strained by unforeseen problems, such as a fire that disrupts a power line. If blackouts do occur, Mark Woodward, 60, said he would leave home with his wife, two children and three dogs. He lives in Anaheim Hills in Orange County, where high could top 110 degrees.

“We have water in car, and we’ll probably just drive around,” Woodward told Press-Telegram. “At least we’ll have air conditioning with drive.”

Tourists were snatching up rooms at San Diego County coastal hotels, which saw ir business plummet because of COVID-19. Elvin Lai said his Ocean Park Inn in Pacific Beach is pretty much booked with premium rates, and or hotels are checking to see if he can handle ir overflow.

“I think people are just saying, I’ve got to get out. I don’t care how long drive is, let’s just go,” Lai told KGTV-TV.

Ors may seek to beat heat by hitting shopping malls, which were allowed to reopen this week in seven San Francisco Bay Area counties that have met conditions for easing coronavirus business restrictions. Cities and counties around state opened cooling centers in public buildings for those without air conditioning. Los Angeles County was providing close to 50 centers — largest site activation in memory — in libraries, community centers and even a museum in L.A. suburb of Gardena. homeless population wasn’t forgotten. Rev. Andy Bales, president and CEO of Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles, said he told staff to hand out “ coldest of cold water bottles” to those coming by for to-go lunches over weekend.

“And I said if anyone comes to door overheated and in peril, welcome m in,” he said. “We do have an air-conditioned chapel.”

Volunteers with CHAM Deliverance Ministry in San Jose planned to deliver bottled water and sports drinks to homeless people in Silicon Valley.

“When it’s 105 degrees and you’re living in a creek bed in a tent, it’s a lot of health issues out re. It’s a formula for disaster,” pastor and founder Scott Wrs said.

heat, coupled with a forecast of possible dry, gusty winds, made for dangerous weekend fire wear, at a time when nearly 13,000 firefighters already are battling to contain nearly two dozen major fires around California. Crews working in blistering temperatures will try to avoid heat exhaustion by keeping rested and hydrated and getting as much work done as possible “before heat of day,” said Lynne Tolmachoff, a spokeswoman for California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

“We see way more heat injuries ... than we do people actually getting burned,” she said.