latimes--2020-08-14--California heat wave may rival deadly July 2006 event, forecasters say

The heat wave that began Friday in California may rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006 , the National Weather Service said .
The valleys , mountains and deserts of Southern California are likely to see daytime and nighttime temperatures challenge records through at least Thursday , and humidity will make conditions feel 2 to 5 degrees warmer during the day .
Extended outlooks prepared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration favor above-normal temperatures persisting well beyond Thursday .
The excessive heat is the result of a large , strong high-pressure system centered over Arizona , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everywhere except within a few miles of the coast .
High pressure over southwestern California on Tuesday will reach a strength that occurs only about once every 10 years , said Eric Boldt , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard .
This dome of high-pressure air blocks storm systems and creates the building heat over the Southwest .
It was during the deadly 2006 heat wave that Los Angeles County recorded its all-time highest temperature : 119 degrees in Woodland Hills on July 22 .
The Times reported that coroners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kern counties connected about 130 deaths to the heat , with diagnoses including hyperthermia and heatstroke .
But state researchers later estimated that the toll in those counties was more likely in the range of 350 to 450 .
This time around , California plunges into the statewide heat wave with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as a sort of preexisitng condition .
The National Weather Service warned Friday of the very real potential for heat stress and heatstroke with the current heat wave .
Valleys in the Los Angeles region can expect highs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lows of 72 to 82 .
Elevations below 5,000 feet will see highs of 98 to 105 and lows of 65 to 75 .
High temperatures will be 102 to 112 in the Antelope Valley , with lows from 70 to 80 .
Coastal areas can look for highs of 82 to 92 and lows of 65 to 70 .
Critical heat will occur between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily , especially inland , the weather service said .
Nighttime temperatures won ’ t cool enough to provide comfortable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elevated to critical fire weather conditions will exist daily during the period , with concerns for the possibility of new fire starts from isolated dry lightning strikes .
Plume-dominated fires may lead to rapid fire spread and locally unpredictable winds .
There ’ s a chance of thunderstorms Saturday , and again Sunday through Tuesday , when monsoon moisture is expected to return .
Even if it doesn ’ t rain where you are , the humidity will probably make for the kind of unpleasantly muggy conditions with which Californians are largely unfamiliar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accompany any thunderstorm activity .
Monsoonal rains in the Southwest have continued to be disappointingly spotty at best , according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor report , released Thursday .
Some parts of the Southwest expect to get half of their precipitation during the North American monsoon .
Parts of Arizona and New Mexico endured temperatures that were 3 to 5 degrees above normal during the last week .
Although California ’ s drought conditions remained about the same , extreme drought in the West expanded by nearly 1.4 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in moderate drought grew by 1.3 % , and areas of severe drought increased by almost 1 % , according to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor .

The extended outlook calls for temperatures to continue to be above normal throughout California and the Southwest.
The heat wave that began Friday in California may rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006, the National Weather Service said.
The valleys, mountains and deserts of Southern California are likely to see daytime and nighttime temperatures challenge records through at least Thursday, and humidity will make conditions feel 2 to 5 degrees warmer during the day.
Extended outlooks prepared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration favor above-normal temperatures persisting well beyond Thursday.
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The excessive heat is the result of a large, strong high-pressure system centered over Arizona, which is keeping the Southwestern U.S. hot almost everywhere except within a few miles of the coast.
High pressure over southwestern California on Tuesday will reach a strength that occurs only about once every 10 years, said Eric Boldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. This dome of high-pressure air blocks storm systems and creates the building heat over the Southwest.
It was during the deadly 2006 heat wave that Los Angeles County recorded its all-time highest temperature: 119 degrees in Woodland Hills on July 22.
The Times reported that coroners in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Kern counties connected about 130 deaths to the heat, with diagnoses including hyperthermia and heatstroke. But state researchers later estimated that the toll in those counties was more likely in the range of 350 to 450.
This time around, California plunges into the statewide heat wave with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as a sort of preexisitng condition.
The National Weather Service warned Friday of the very real potential for heat stress and heatstroke with the current heat wave.
Valleys in the Los Angeles region can expect highs of 100 to 108 degrees, with lows of 72 to 82. Elevations below 5,000 feet will see highs of 98 to 105 and lows of 65 to 75. High temperatures will be 102 to 112 in the Antelope Valley, with lows from 70 to 80. Coastal areas can look for highs of 82 to 92 and lows of 65 to 70.
Critical heat will occur between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily, especially inland, the weather service said. Nighttime temperatures won’t cool enough to provide comfortable sleeping weather in many places.
Brief elevated to critical fire weather conditions will exist daily during the period, with concerns for the possibility of new fire starts from isolated dry lightning strikes. Plume-dominated fires may lead to rapid fire spread and locally unpredictable winds.
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There’s a chance of thunderstorms Saturday, and again Sunday through Tuesday, when monsoon moisture is expected to return. Even if it doesn’t rain where you are, the humidity will probably make for the kind of unpleasantly muggy conditions with which Californians are largely unfamiliar. Heavy rain and flash flooding could accompany any thunderstorm activity.
Above-normal temperatures in the Western U.S. have contributed to expanding drought conditions. (Paul Duginski / Los Angeles Times)
Monsoonal rains in the Southwest have continued to be disappointingly spotty at best, according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor report, released Thursday. Some parts of the Southwest expect to get half of their precipitation during the North American monsoon. Parts of Arizona and New Mexico endured temperatures that were 3 to 5 degrees above normal during the last week.
Although California’s drought conditions remained about the same, extreme drought in the West expanded by nearly 1.4%. Areas of the West deemed to be in moderate drought grew by 1.3%, and areas of severe drought increased by almost 1%, according to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor.


latimes--2020-08-14--Some evacuation orders lifted as firefighters continue battle on Lake fire

Officials lifted additional evacuation orders that had been issued Friday evening for the Lake fire but kept previous orders in place as the fire continued to pose a threat to some residents .
Expanded evacuation zones in the Antelope Valley region had been initially ordered shortly after 5 p.m .
They encompassed the area north of Avenue D and Highway 138 , south of Avenue A , west of 150th Street West and east of 200th Street West .
About 9:30 p.m. , the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’ s Department ’ s Palmdale station announced that the orders had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near Lake Hughes on Wednesday .
Within hours it had quickly scorched 10,500 acres as it raced west toward the 5 and northeast toward residents in Pine Canyon in the Antelope Valley , triggering evacuations and burning three buildings .
By Friday night , the fire had grown to more than 17,400 acres and was 12 % contained .
It has destroyed at least five structures , and more than 5,000 others were threatened .
Evacuations had previously also been in place for Lake Hughes Road west of Pine Canyon and north of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for residents east of Ridge Route Road , west of Lake Hughes Road and Fire Station 78 , north of Pine Canyon and Lake Hughes Road , and south of Highway 138 .
Fighting the fire has been difficult because of rugged terrain and thick vegetation that in some areas hasn ’ t burned in several decades .
More than 1,500personnel , 192 engines and 10 helicopters have responded to the blaze .

Officials lifted additional evacuation orders that had been issued Friday evening for the Lake fire but kept previous orders in place as the fire continued to pose a threat to some residents.
Expanded evacuation zones in the Antelope Valley region had been initially ordered shortly after 5 p.m. They encompassed the area north of Avenue D and Highway 138, south of Avenue A, west of 150th Street West and east of 200th Street West. About 9:30 p.m., the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Palmdale station announced that the orders had been lifted.
The Lake fire began near Lake Hughes on Wednesday. Within hours it had quickly scorched 10,500 acres as it raced west toward the 5 and northeast toward residents in Pine Canyon in the Antelope Valley, triggering evacuations and burning three buildings.
By Friday night, the fire had grown to more than 17,400 acres and was 12% contained. It has destroyed at least five structures, and more than 5,000 others were threatened.
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The Lake fire burns in the hills of the Angeles National Forest on Friday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Evacuations had previously also been in place for Lake Hughes Road west of Pine Canyon and north of Dry Gulch Road, as well as for residents east of Ridge Route Road, west of Lake Hughes Road and Fire Station 78, north of Pine Canyon and Lake Hughes Road, and south of Highway 138.
Fighting the fire has been difficult because of rugged terrain and thick vegetation that in some areas hasn’t burned in several decades. More than 1,500personnel, 192 engines and 10 helicopters have responded to the blaze.
Times staff writer Luke Money contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-14--Los Angeles won't ticket for street sweeping violations until October at the earliest

Granting a reprieve to drivers in neighborhoods with scarce street parking , Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Friday that the city will not resume ticketing on street-cleaning days until October at the earliest .
Parking enforcement on street-sweeping days has been suspended since April .
The city had previously said officers would resume writing the $ 73 tickets Aug. 16 .
People “ shouldn ’ t be penalized for staying home , avoiding unnecessary trips , and doing their part to stop the spread of COVID-19 , ” Garcetti said in a statement .
With one-quarter of the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been a welcome respite for residents in crowded neighborhoods where street parking is at a premium .
Los Angeles officials will continue to avoid ticketing vehicles that have expired registration or that are parked in rush-hour and anti-gridlock zones .
But those grace periods are coming to an end .
All parking enforcement will resume Oct. 1 — with the exception of street sweeping tickets , which will return later , Garcetti said .
Los Angeles is still ticketing cars parked at expired meters .
Officials say that policy is designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on curbside pickup and delivery drivers .
The city is also still ticketing vehicles parked in red zones and in front of driveways , and is enforcing the posted time limits in preferential parking districts , officials said .
The city has also waived fine increases for people who miss the deadlines to pay parking tickets .

Los Angeles will not resume parking enforcement on street-cleaning days until October at the earliest, officials said Friday.
Granting a reprieve to drivers in neighborhoods with scarce street parking, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Friday that the city will not resume ticketing on street-cleaning days until October at the earliest.
Parking enforcement on street-sweeping days has been suspended since April. The city had previously said officers would resume writing the $73 tickets Aug. 16.
People “shouldn’t be penalized for staying home, avoiding unnecessary trips, and doing their part to stop the spread of COVID-19,” Garcetti said in a statement.
With one-quarter of the city out of work, relaxed parking rules have been a welcome respite for residents in crowded neighborhoods where street parking is at a premium.
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Los Angeles officials will continue to avoid ticketing vehicles that have expired registration or that are parked in rush-hour and anti-gridlock zones.
But those grace periods are coming to an end. All parking enforcement will resume Oct. 1 — with the exception of street sweeping tickets, which will return later, Garcetti said.
Los Angeles is still ticketing cars parked at expired meters. Officials say that policy is designed to encourage turnover, helping restaurants that rely on curbside pickup and delivery drivers.
The city is also still ticketing vehicles parked in red zones and in front of driveways, and is enforcing the posted time limits in preferential parking districts, officials said.
The city has also waived fine increases for people who miss the deadlines to pay parking tickets.


latimes--2020-08-14--Advocates say homeless hotel program discriminates against disabled people

A program that has moved thousands of homeless people into hotel and motel rooms to protect them from the coronavirus discriminates against some of the most needy and vulnerable living on the streets , a group of advocates for the elderly and disabled has charged .
In a scathing letter sent earlier this month to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and copied to dozens of city and county officials , the advocates alleged that in selecting which people to move into hotel rooms through Project Roomkey , the agency has deliberately excluded those who can not handle on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the toilet or getting out of bed .
Citing a written LAHSA policy obtained from staffers at the agency , members of the Los Angeles Aging Advocacy Coalition and others who signed the letter said LAHSA is violating a host of federal and state laws , including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the federal Fair Housing Act .
Prior to the pandemic , the group had long argued that the city ’ s homeless care system is not equipped to assist people who are unable to manage basic self care because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leg .
“ The result of this policy is a disproportionate denial of housing and housing services to the very older adults and people with disabilities who are most at risk of severe symptoms or death as a result of COVID-19 , ” they said .
“ We have heard from many service providers that they have been unable to obtain [ Project Roomkey ] approval for their clients who are older individuals with a range of disabilities.
” Part of a statewide program initiated by Gov .
Gavin Newsom , Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 4,000 hotel and motel rooms for elderly or medically vulnerable homeless people .
The rooms were enough for only about a quarter of the 15,000 people LAHSA identified as being eligible for the program under guidelines put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The letter sent to LAHSA , which the Times obtained from someone who received it , calls on the agency to immediately end its policy , identify people who were denied housing and adopt practices that have been used in other counties to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hotel rooms .
Brandi J. Orton , managing director of the Aging Advocacy Coalition , said the group has a meeting scheduled with LAHSA on Tuesday to attempt to work out a solution .
LAHSA executive director Heidi Marston declined to answer specific questions until after the meeting .
“ LAHSA is committed to providing needed services to the many people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County , a population with complex needs , in an environment of limited resources , ” Marston said in a prepared statement .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may allow us to increase our reach and better meet the needs of this vulnerable population.
” While alleging serious violations , the letter does not explicitly threaten legal action .
“ It is not a demand letter , ” said Patti Prunhuber , senior housing attorney for Justice in Aging , one of the groups that signed the letter .
“ It is notifying them that we have a serious problem that we need to resolve in a quick and thorough manner , with everybody coming to the table.
” Orton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grew alarmed when LAHSA reported in June that only about 18 % of those in Project Roomkey rooms were 65 or older .
“ That was shocking to us , ” she said .
“ We know there are upwards of 6,000 older adults on the streets.
” Older adults have higher rates of physical disabilities that make it hard for them to manage their daily activities , she said .
Orton and Prunhuber said LAHSA ’ s practices need to change so that those with physical disabilities , as distinguished from those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Orton said she hopes the upcoming talks will address broader concerns her organization has had for years over the lack of services to address homeless older adults .
“ The homeless services delivery system has struggled for many years with the issue of personal care , ” she said .
“ The aging sector and homeless services sector have not had any historical relationship .
People in the aging sector don ’ t know how to access homeless services .
People in homeless services don ’ t know how to access services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LAHSA is going to rectify what went wrong , they need to connect to these systems.
” Other counties have integrated personal care services into Project Roomkey , Prunhuber said .
She pointed to San Francisco County , where hotels in Project Roomkey are staffed with trained personal care workers .
In Los Angeles County , Project Roomkey beds are close to 90 % occupied .
LAHSA has proposed an $ 800-million plan to provide housing over the next three years for the several thousand people who are eligible for the program but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orton and Prunhuber , the letter was signed by Rigo J. Saborio , president and chief executive of St. Barnabas Senior Services ; Christina Mills , executive director of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers ; and disability policy consultant June Kailes .
Kailes , who consults for nonprofits , businesses and government agencies , said it is critical for LAHSA not only to scrap the policy but to train its staff on how to manage people with disabilities .
“ The issue is kind of implicit bias , ” Kailes said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They assume if someone needs a little help in the morning getting dressed , they must have medical problems and need medical assistance .
”

A program that has moved thousands of homeless people into hotel and motel rooms to protect them from the coronavirus discriminates against some of the most needy and vulnerable living on the streets, a group of advocates for elderly and disabled residents has charged.
In a scathing letter sent this month to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and copied to dozens of city and county officials, the advocates alleged that in selecting which people to move into hotel rooms through Project Roomkey, the agency has deliberately excluded those who cannot handle on their own basic activities, such as going to the toilet or getting out of bed.
Citing a written LAHSA policy obtained from staffers at the agency, members of the Los Angeles Aging Advocacy Coalition and others who signed the letter said LAHSA is violating a host of federal and state laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the federal Fair Housing Act. Before the pandemic, the group had long argued that the city’s homeless care system is not equipped to assist people who are unable to manage basic self-care because of physical disabilities such as an amputated leg.
Guest services associate Mia Rogers, 23, gives guest Larita Garner, 61, her lunch at a Project Roomkey hotel. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
“The result of this policy is a disproportionate denial of housing and housing services to the very older adults and people with disabilities who are most at risk of severe symptoms or death as a result of COVID-19,” they said. “We have heard from many service providers that they have been unable to obtain [Project Roomkey] approval for their clients who are older individuals with a range of disabilities.”
Part of a statewide program initiated by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles County’s Project Roomkey has leased more than 4,000 hotel and motel rooms for elderly or medically vulnerable homeless people. The rooms were enough for only about a quarter of the 15,000 people LAHSA identified as being eligible for the program under guidelines put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
LA Aging Advocacy Coalition Letter to LAHSA from 8/3/20 A program that has moved thousands of homeless people into hotel and motel rooms to protect them from the coronavirus discriminates against some of the most needy and vulnerable living on the streets, a group of advocates for the elderly and disabled have charged. The letter references a Christina Miller as the executive director California Foundation for Independent Living Centers. Her name is Christina Mills.
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The letter sent to LAHSA, which The Times obtained from someone who received it, calls on the agency to immediately end its policy, identify people who were denied housing and adopt practices that have been used in other counties to provide the services needed to support disabled people in the hotel rooms.
Brandi J. Orton, managing director of the Aging Advocacy Coalition, said the group has a meeting scheduled with LAHSA on Tuesday to attempt to work out a solution.
LAHSA Executive Director Heidi Marston declined to answer specific questions until after the meeting.
“LAHSA is committed to providing needed services to the many people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County, a population with complex needs, in an environment of limited resources,” Marston said in a statement. “We look forward to discussions with the coalition that may allow us to increase our reach and better meet the needs of this vulnerable population.”
While alleging serious violations, the letter does not explicitly threaten legal action.
“It is not a demand letter,” said Patti Prunhuber, senior housing attorney for Justice in Aging, one of the groups that signed the letter. “It is notifying them that we have a serious problem that we need to resolve in a quick and thorough manner, with everybody coming to the table.”
Orton said coalition members who monitor homeless programs grew alarmed when LAHSA reported in June that only about 18% of those in Project Roomkey rooms were 65 or older.
“That was shocking to us,” she said. “We know there are upwards of 6,000 older adults on the streets.”
Older adults have higher rates of physical disabilities that make it hard for them to manage their daily activities, she said. Orton and Prunhuber said LAHSA’s practices need to change so that those with physical disabilities, as distinguished from those with medical needs, can be accommodated.
Orton said she hopes the upcoming talks will address broader concerns her organization has had for years over the lack of services to address homeless older adults.
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Guest services associate Dwona Beroit, left, talks with Project Roomkey guest Fire Wilson, 66, at a Project Roomkey hotel. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
“The homeless services delivery system has struggled for many years with the issue of personal care,” she said. “The aging sector and homeless services sector have not had any historical relationship. People in the aging sector don’t know how to access homeless services. People in homeless services don’t know how to access services in the older-adults system.
“If LAHSA is going to rectify what went wrong, they need to connect to these systems.”
Other counties have integrated personal care services into Project Roomkey, Prunhuber said. She pointed to San Francisco, where hotels in Project Roomkey are staffed with trained personal care workers.
In Los Angeles County, Project Roomkey beds are close to 90% occupied. LAHSA has proposed an $800-million plan to provide housing over the next three years for the several thousand people who are eligible for the program but have not received a room.
Besides Orton and Prunhuber, the letter was signed by Rigo J. Saborio, president and chief executive of St. Barnabas Senior Services; Christina Mills, executive director of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers; and disability policy consultant June Kailes.
Kailes, who consults for nonprofits, businesses and government agencies, said it is critical for LAHSA to not only scrap the policy but also to train its staff on how to manage people with disabilities.
“The issue is kind of implicit bias,” Kailes said. “People just automatically assume things. They assume if someone needs a little help in the morning getting dressed, they must have medical problems and need medical assistance.”


latimes--2020-08-14--California begins rolling blackouts after first Stage 3 emergency since 2001

The body that runs the electric grid for most of California declared a statewide Stage 3 emergency Friday evening for the first time since 2001 due to excessive heat driving up electricity use and ordered utilities to implement power disruption programs .
The California Independent System Operator had issued a statewide flex alert earlier Friday , asking residents to conserve electricity between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. That alert asked consumers to set air conditioner thermostats to 78 degrees or higher , turn off unnecessary lights and not use major appliances .
We “ were monitoring the flex alert to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lower the energy use so we wouldn ’ t have to go into Stage 3 , ” said Anne Gonzales , a public information officer for the corporation .
“ We are in Stage 3 now and hopefully demand will keep going down.
” In the wake of the decision , there were a scattering of power interruptions in Southern California , but it was unclear how widespread they were .
The emergency notice was issued at 6:36 p.m. and lifted at 8:54 p.m. One thousand megawatts of electricity were taken out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The power shortage is being driven by what officials say is one of the worst statewide heat waves in years .
The broiling conditions that began Friday in California may rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006 , the National Weather Service said .
The valleys , mountains and deserts of Southern California are likely to see daytime and nighttime temperatures challenge records through at least Thursday , and humidity will make conditions feel 2 to 5 degrees warmer during the day .
Air quality officials also issued an advisory Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lung-damaging ozone pollution to “ very unhealthy ” levels and that much of Southern California will experience elevated smog through Monday .
On Friday afternoon , ozone pollution in some areas reached its highest levels in a decade as a result of high temperatures and wildfires , according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District .
David Song , a public information officer for Southern California Edison , said that approximately 132,000 of the utility ’ s 5 million customers were without power as of 7:30 p.m. because of rotating power outages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outages were scattered throughout Southern California Edison ’ s service area and were set to last about one hour for each outage group .
These groups include customers from a cross section of cities so that an entire city is not affected , he said .
Song urged customers to take steps as simple as turning off the lights in a room once they leave in order to save power , emphasizing that “ every little bit helps.
” “ In past instances we encouraged customers to go to the movies or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ We understand with COVID that ’ s not a reality… .
We ’ re mindful to customers and what they ’ re going through right now , especially staying home.
” The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said its customers were not affected by the declared emergency because it generates and imports its own electricity and was able to meet the city ’ s demand .
Spokesman Joe Ramallo said the DWP had in fact provided excess power Friday evening to the California Independent System @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has never had to institute rotating outages due to not having enough power to meet demand .
Times staff writers Tony Barboza and Sammy Roth contributed to this report .

The body that runs the electric grid for most of California declared a statewide Stage 3 emergency Friday evening for the first time since 2001 due to excessive heat driving up electricity use and ordered utilities to implement power disruption programs.
The California Independent System Operator had issued a statewide flex alert earlier Friday, asking residents to conserve electricity between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. That alert asked consumers to set air conditioner thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, turn off unnecessary lights and not use major appliances.
We “were monitoring the flex alert to see if consumers would answer the call to lower the energy use so we wouldn’t have to go into Stage 3,” said Anne Gonzales, a public information officer for the corporation. “We are in Stage 3 now and hopefully demand will keep going down.”
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In the wake of the decision, there were a scattering of power interruptions in Southern California, but it was unclear how widespread they were. The emergency notice was issued at 6:36 p.m. and lifted at 8:54 p.m. One thousand megawatts of electricity were taken out of service, the corporation said.
The power shortage is being driven by what officials say is one of the worst statewide heat waves in years. The broiling conditions that began Friday in California may rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006, the National Weather Service said.
The valleys, mountains and deserts of Southern California are likely to see daytime and nighttime temperatures challenge records through at least Thursday, and humidity will make conditions feel 2 to 5 degrees warmer during the day.
Air quality officials also issued an advisory Friday warning that the heat wave is pushing lung-damaging ozone pollution to “very unhealthy” levels and that much of Southern California will experience elevated smog through Monday. On Friday afternoon, ozone pollution in some areas reached its highest levels in a decade as a result of high temperatures and wildfires, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
David Song, a public information officer for Southern California Edison, said that approximately 132,000 of the utility’s 5 million customers were without power as of 7:30 p.m. because of rotating power outages it had put in place. The outages were scattered throughout Southern California Edison’s service area and were set to last about one hour for each outage group. These groups include customers from a cross section of cities so that an entire city is not affected, he said.
Song urged customers to take steps as simple as turning off the lights in a room once they leave in order to save power, emphasizing that “every little bit helps.”
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“In past instances we encouraged customers to go to the movies or the mall to get away with the heat,” he said. “We understand with COVID that’s not a reality…. We’re mindful to customers and what they’re going through right now, especially staying home.”
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said its customers were not affected by the declared emergency because it generates and imports its own electricity and was able to meet the city’s demand.
Spokesman Joe Ramallo said the DWP had in fact provided excess power Friday evening to the California Independent System Operator. The DWP, he said, has never had to institute rotating outages due to not having enough power to meet demand.
Times staff writers Tony Barboza and Sammy Roth contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-15--Los Angeles County reports more than 2,100 new coronavirus cases and 35 more related deaths

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Saturday reported 2,103 new coronavirus infections and 35 more related deaths , marking a continuing downward trend in the impact of the disease .
The new numbers brought the county ’ s totals to 220,762 positive cases of COVID-19 and 5,245 deaths .
Saturday ’ s death total was the lowest of any day this month .
Hospitalizations were down also , with 1,393 confirmed cases , fewer than any day since mid-June , the Health Department reported .
Of those hospitalized , 33 % were in the ICU .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 10 % of them coming out positive , a rate still above the state ’ s desired level of 8 % .
The infection total remains skewed by a backlog of cases from the state electronic lab report system , the report said , but hospitalizations and death numbers are not affected .
Ninety-two percent of the new deaths were people who had underlying health conditions , the health department reported .
Nine were over 80 , nine between 65 and 75 , 11 between 50 and 65 , and five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose race or ethnicity was known , 50 % of deaths were Latino , 24 % white , 15 % Asian , 10 % Black , fewer than 1 % Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 1 % identifying with other races .
The report said 34 cases and four deaths previously reported were found not to be L.A. County residents .
“ With this weekend ’ s high temperatures , I encourage everyone to take steps to stay cool and keep hydrated throughout the day while still practicing physical distancing and avoiding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement .
“ Please note that cooling centers are open and safe places to go to avoid the extreme heat because every site is adhering to strict infection control and distancing measures.
” The Orange County Health Care Agency reported 513 new cases and 20 more deaths Saturday , bringing the county ’ s totals to 43,367 cases and 809 fatalities .
There were 434 COVID-19 patients in the county ’ s hospitals , with 138 in the ICU .
The rate of residents testing positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , coming in below the state threshold , according to City News Service .

Hannah Mikus, right, shows drivers how to self-administer the coronavirus test last month at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Saturday reported 2,103 new coronavirus infections and 35 more related deaths, marking a continuing downward trend in the impact of the disease.
The new numbers brought the county’s totals to 220,762 positive cases of COVID-19 and 5,245 deaths. Saturday’s death total was the lowest of any day this week.
For the record: A previous version of this story said Saturday’s death total was the lowest of any day this month. It was the lowest this week. It also said 92% of the new deaths were of people with underlying health conditions. That number is two-thirds.
Hospitalizations were down also, with 1,393 confirmed cases, fewer than any day since mid-June, the Health Department reported. Of those hospitalized, 33% were in the ICU.
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More than 2 million tests have been given, with 10% of them coming out positive.
The infection total remains skewed by a backlog of cases from the state electronic lab report system, the report said, but hospitalizations and death numbers are not affected.
Two-thirds of the new deaths were people who had underlying health conditions, the health department reported. Nine were over 80, nine between 65 and 75, 11 between 50 and 65, and five between 39 and 49.
Of those whose race or ethnicity was known, 50% of deaths were Latino, 24% white, 15% Asian, 10% Black, fewer than 1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 1% identifying with other races.
The report said 34 cases and four deaths previously reported were found not to be L.A. County residents.
“With this weekend’s high temperatures, I encourage everyone to take steps to stay cool and keep hydrated throughout the day while still practicing physical distancing and avoiding gatherings,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “Please note that cooling centers are open and safe places to go to avoid the extreme heat because every site is adhering to strict infection control and distancing measures.”
The Orange County Health Care Agency reported 513 new cases and 20 more deaths Saturday, bringing the county’s totals to 43,367 cases and 809 fatalities.
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There were 434 COVID-19 patients in the county’s hospitals, with 138 in the ICU.
The rate of residents testing positive for COVID-19 in the county was 6.7%, coming in below the state threshold, according to City News Service.


latimes--2020-08-15--San Diego County hits milestone to get off state watch list, but approval is pending

Local officials on Friday said San Diego County has reached the metric that allows it to be removed from the state watch list , though confirmation of those numbers are pending state approval .
For the third consecutive day , the county recorded a 14-day average rate of fewer than 100 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents .
The county reported a rate of 96.3 on Friday , 98.3 on Thursday and 94.1 on Wednesday .
It ’ s an important milestone , one that signals that renewed efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus are paying off .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 14 more consecutive days for the state to allow K-12 schools to reopen .
No other businesses can reopen until the state provides further guidance , county officials said Friday .
A spokeswoman for the county told the San Diego Union-Tribune that health officials hope to hear from the state about a timeline by the end of the weekend .
The lower case rate was not the only achievement for the county .
Officials reported 299 hospitalized COVID-19 patients as of Thursday , the first time in more than a month that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While Friday ’ s numbers were encouraging overall , community outbreaks remained much higher than the county ’ s own threshold for loosening certain health restrictions .
Four new community outbreaks were reported Friday , bringing the seven-day total to 24 .
Two of the new outbreaks were at businesses : one a restaurant with a bar ; another in a food processing facility .
The county has not released the names of the sites .
The 24 outbreaks were more than three times the number the county has set as a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : seven or more outbreaks in a seven-day period .
It was not clear Friday how the county would adjust restrictions if it is removed from the state ’ s monitoring list while still reporting more community outbreaks than it considers acceptable .
Another potentially problematic number reported Friday was new cases .
The county reported 406 , far exceeding the average 240 new cases it would need to report to avoid a new warning signal with the state .
The county reported that 4 % of total tests on Thursday were positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 4.6 % — far below the county ’ s target of less than 8 % .
The county reported seven deaths on Friday , bringing its total for the pandemic to 622 .
The people died between Aug. 6 and Aug. 14 .
Four were women and three were men , with ages ranging from 49 to 94 .
All but one had an underlying medical condition .
Cook writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune .
Staff writer Paul Sisson contributed to this report .

Local officials on Friday said San Diego County has reached the metric that allows it to be removed from the state watch list, though confirmation of those numbers are pending state approval.
For the third consecutive day, the county recorded a 14-day average rate of fewer than 100 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents. The county reported a rate of 96.3 on Friday, 98.3 on Thursday and 94.1 on Wednesday.
It’s an important milestone, one that signals that renewed efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus are paying off. The county must maintain its new status for 14 more consecutive days for the state to allow K-12 schools to reopen. No other businesses can reopen until the state provides further guidance, county officials said Friday.
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A spokeswoman for the county told the San Diego Union-Tribune that health officials hope to hear from the state about a timeline by the end of the weekend.
The lower case rate was not the only achievement for the county. Officials reported 299 hospitalized COVID-19 patients as of Thursday, the first time in more than a month that it has reported fewer than 300.
While Friday’s numbers were encouraging overall, community outbreaks remained much higher than the county’s own threshold for loosening certain health restrictions. Four new community outbreaks were reported Friday, bringing the seven-day total to 24. Two of the new outbreaks were at businesses: one a restaurant with a bar; another in a food processing facility. The county has not released the names of the sites.
The 24 outbreaks were more than three times the number the county has set as a “trigger” for tighter public health restrictions: seven or more outbreaks in a seven-day period.
It was not clear Friday how the county would adjust restrictions if it is removed from the state’s monitoring list while still reporting more community outbreaks than it considers acceptable.
Another potentially problematic number reported Friday was new cases. The county reported 406, far exceeding the average 240 new cases it would need to report to avoid a new warning signal with the state.
The county reported that 4% of total tests on Thursday were positive. The 14-day average of positive cases was 4.6% — far below the county’s target of less than 8%.
The county reported seven deaths on Friday, bringing its total for the pandemic to 622. The people died between Aug. 6 and Aug. 14. Four were women and three were men, with ages ranging from 49 to 94. All but one had an underlying medical condition.
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Cook writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Staff writer Paul Sisson contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-15--Lake and Ranch 2 fires burn thousands of acres as region is gripped in epic heat wave

Two brush fires in Southern California continued on Saturday to burn thousands of acres , force hundreds of people from their homes and contribute to unhealthy air quality across the region .
The Lake fire burning in the hills of the Angeles National Forest near Lake Hughes had consumed 14,714 acres and was 12 % contained as of Saturday morning , authorities said .
It had destroyed six buildings and continued to threaten thousands more , officials said .
Mandatory evacuations remained in place for Lake Hughes and the surrounding areas , though some evacuation orders that had been issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night .
The American Red Cross was operating an evacuation point at Highland High School in Palmdale .
The fire was first reported Wednesday shortly before 3:40 p.m .
There was no word on a cause .
The Ranch 2 fire burning in the Angeles National Forest above Azusa was at 1,400 acres and 3 % contained as of Saturday morning , officials estimated .
The fire started at about 2:45 p.m. Thursday in the San Gabriel River bed near San Gabriel Canyon and North Ranch roads , authorities said .
Evacuation orders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were lifted Thursday night , but portions of Highway 39 remained shut .
Investigators were looking for a man believed to have started the fire .
Police said the suspect , identified as 36-year-old Osmin Palencia , lived in an encampment in the riverbed near the blaze ’ s origin point .
Firefighters were battling the fires amid a heat wave that forecasters said could rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006 .
The valleys , mountains and deserts of Southern California are likely to see both daytime and nighttime temperature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while humidity levels make conditions feel 2 to 5 degrees warmer during the day .
Valley and inland areas are expected to see triple-digit temperatures for much of the week .
On Friday afternoon , the combination of heat and wildfires sent ozone pollution to levels not seen in a decade in some areas , according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District .
The air district said that ozone , the invisible gas in smog that triggers asthma and other health problems , could reach “ unhealthy ” or “ very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Saturday through Monday .
The advisory covers areas including the Santa Clarita , San Fernando Valley and San Gabriel valleys , the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains , the Inland Empire and the Coachella Valley .
Times staff writers Paul Duginski and Tony Barboza contributed to this report .

A truck sits along Pine Canyon Road near Lake Hughes early Thursday after the Lake fire burned thousands of acres. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
A helicopter makes a water drop along a ridge near Lake Hughes after the Lake fire burned thousands of acres. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
A home burns along Pine Canyon Road near Lake Hughes early Thursday after the Lake fire burned thousands of acres. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The smoldering remains of a home on Pine Canyon Road that was destroyed by the Lake fire. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
A scorched statue stands in front of a home on Pine Canyon Road destroyed by fire along Pine Canyon in the Lake Hughes area. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles County Firefighter Brandon Smith runs hose through a burned out home to complete mop-up in the Lake Fire. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
A firefighter battles the smoke and flames from the Ranch Fire in the hills in Azusa. (Apu Gomes / AFP )
People watch smoke and flames rising from the Ranch Fire in the San Gabriel mountains above Azusa. (Apu Gomes / AFP )
A Cal Fire helicopter makes a water crop on the Skyline fire behind homes on Clearing Lane in Corona. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
The Ranch fire burns in the hills above a cluster of homes along the San Gabriel River near Azusa on Thursday. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
A man walks by a row of homes as the Ranch Fire burns in the hills of Azusa Thursday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
The Ranch fire burns in the hills above a cluster of homes along the San Gabriel River. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
A house sits alone as the Lake Fire creeps its way up the hill towards Palmdale Friday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
LAKE HUGHES, CALIFORNIA AUGUST 15, 2020-Firefighters from the Santa Barbara County strike team tput out hot spots from the Lake Fire along Pine Canyon Road in Lake Hughes Saturday. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
A firefighting helicopter makes an approach to drop water on the Ranch 2 fire in the hills above a cluster of homes along the San Gabriel River near Azusa. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
Two brush fires in Southern California continued Saturday to burn thousands of acres, force hundreds of people from their homes and contribute to unhealthy air quality across the region.
The Lake fire, burning in the hills of the Angeles National Forest near Lake Hughes, had consumed 17,862 acres and was 12% contained as of Saturday night, authorities said. It had destroyed six buildings and continued to threaten thousands more, officials said.
Mandatory evacuations remained in place for Lake Hughes and the surrounding areas, though some evacuation orders that had been issued for the Antelope Valley were lifted Friday night. The American Red Cross was operating an evacuation point at Highland High School in Palmdale.
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The fire was first reported Wednesday shortly before 3:40 p.m. There was no word on a cause.
The Ranch 2 fire, burning in the Angeles National Forest above Azusa, was at 1,400 acres and 3% contained as of Saturday morning, officials said.
The fire started about 2:45 p.m. Thursday in the San Gabriel River bed near San Gabriel Canyon and North Ranch roads, authorities said. Evacuation orders for Azusa’s Mountain Cove community were lifted Thursday night, but portions of Highway 39 remained shut.
Investigators were looking for a man believed to have started the fire. Police said the suspect, identified as 36-year-old Osmin Palencia, lived in an encampment in the riverbed near the blaze’s origin.
Firefighters were battling the fires amid a heat wave that forecasters said could rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006.
The valleys, mountains and deserts of Southern California are likely to see daytime and nighttime temperature records challenged through at least Thursday, while humidity levels make conditions feel 2 to 5 degrees warmer during the day. Valley and inland areas are expected to see triple-digit temperatures for much of the week.
On Friday afternoon, the combination of heat and wildfires sent ozone pollution to levels not seen in a decade in some areas, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The air district said ozone, the invisible gas in smog that triggers asthma and other health problems, could reach “unhealthy” or “very unhealthy” levels in the afternoon hours from Saturday through Monday. The advisory covers areas including the Santa Clarita, San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys; the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains; the Inland Empire; and the Coachella Valley.
Times staff writers Paul Duginski and Tony Barboza contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-15--Severe heat wave causes rolling blackouts, dangerous conditions across California

What forecasters say is shaping up to be the worst heat wave in several years caused rolling blackouts Friday due to power shortages and is setting up dangerous conditions across California .
The power crisis was caused in part by coronavirus restrictions , which have closed movie theaters , malls and other locations where people would typically gather to beat the heat .
Concerns about outbreaks have kept many inside their homes with the air conditioning on .
The broiling conditions that may rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006 , the National Weather Service said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California are likely to see both daytime and nighttime temperatures challenge records through at least Thursday , and elevated humidity will make conditions feel two to five degrees warmer during the day .
“ People really need to take it seriously , ” said Kathy Hoxsie , a meteorologist with the weather service in Oxnard .
“ Drink a lot of water .
Find shade.
” Virtually no stretch of the Southland will be spared from conditions that Hoxsie said will be “ hot , hot and hot.
” “ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend and into next week , probably peaking on Monday , Tuesday , ” she said .
“ We have an excessive heat warning out for the Antelope Valley through Tuesday and the interior valleys through Monday.
” Air quality officials issued an advisory Friday warning that the heat wave is pushing lung-damaging ozone pollution to “ very unhealthy ” levels and that much of Southern California will experience elevated smog through Monday .
On Friday afternoon , ozone pollution in some areas reached its highest level in a decade as a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the South Coast Air Quality Management District .
The air district said that ozone , the invisible gas in smog that triggers asthma and other health problems , could reach “ unhealthy ” or “ very unhealthy ” levels in the afternoon hours from Saturday through Monday .
The advisory covers areas including the Santa Clarita , San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys , the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains , the Inland Empire and the Coachella Valley .
On Saturday , public health officials said that smoke from the Lake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hughes and the Ranch 2 fire burning above Azusa had also caused unhealthy air quality in many areas and warned people to avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure .
Due to excessive heat driving up electricity use , California declared a statewide Stage 3 emergency Friday evening for the first time since 2001 and ordered utilities to implement power disruption programs .
The California Independent System Operator , which manages the state ’ s power grid , had issued a statewide flex alert earlier Friday , asking residents to conserve electricity between 3 and 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air conditioner thermostats to 78 degrees or higher , turn off unnecessary lights and not use major appliances .
Anne Gonzales , spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator , said it does not expect to have to order rolling outages for the rest of the weekend .
“ There ’ s nothing planned for today , ” Gonzales said .
“ The temperatures are expected to be a bit lower than yesterday and it ’ s the weekend , so we see a bit less demand.
” Even during the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electricity demand has followed the usual pattern : climbing during the work week and trailing off over the weekend , according to Gonzales .
On Friday evening , California ISO ordered utilities to shed about 1,000 megawatts , leading to rolling blackouts across the state .
A single megawatt powers about 750 homes for an hour , Gonzales said .
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said its customers were not affected because the department generates and imports its own electricity and was able to meet the city ’ s demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has never had to implement rolling blackouts due to excess demand , was able to sell 225 megawatts to California ISO between 5 and 9 p.m. , spokesman Joe Ramallo said .
Still , he said , the heat put strain on local power distribution networks , leading to isolated outages unrelated to the statewide rolling blackouts as some equipment became overloaded and failed .
About ` 1,000 of the DWP ’ s 1.5 million customers were without power as of Saturday morning , most of them in the San Fernando Valley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reported in Sunland and Wilmington , Ramallo said .
The problem can be particularly acute during prolonged heat waves like these , when nighttime temperatures don ’ t drop enough for the electrical equipment to cool down , he said .
“ It ’ s like running your car at 100 mph nonstop and not giving it a break , ” Ramallo said .
“ You ’ re eventually going to have some problems that pop up , and in this case there will be failed equipment and transformers.
” There were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southern California , but it was unclear how widespread they were .
The emergency notice was issued at 6:36 p.m. and lifted at 8:54 p.m .
Roughly 132,000 of Southern California Edison ’ s 5 million customers lost power Friday night for about an hour , spokesman Robert Villegas said Saturday .
All had their power restored by 8 p.m. , he said .
“ Typically what happens is [ the blackouts ] will be done in small blocks that include portions of communities , so we don ’ t shut down a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
He said the utility is also careful to avoid cutting off power to critical facilities like hospitals and public safety buildings .
The goal of the controlled rotating shutoffs is to avoid longer and more widespread outages due to equipment failures that can result when high demand puts a strain on the system , he said .
The utility has also deployed emergency management crews throughout its service territory to quickly respond to and repair those types of outages for the duration of the heat wave .
“ We totally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re without power , especially in this time when options are limited , ” Villegas said .
“ With students being at home now starting school online and people working from home , of course their livelihoods and their education are things that we ’ re looking at .
So we ’ re trying to minimize as best we can interruption to people in their homes.
” The utility and others throughout the state are also urging customers to do their part by doing things like setting the thermostat no lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I always tell people that everything your mother told you when you were little , it was in fact true , ” Villegas said .
“ Don ’ t leave the refrigerator door open while you ’ re thinking about what to get from inside .
Don ’ t leave the back door open because it does let the heat in .
Turn off lights when you ’ re not using them .
… The simple things are really where it ’ s at here.
” Pasadena Power and Water shut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65,000 electrical customers for 30 minutes on Friday , said spokeswoman Margie Otto .
The utility received a directive from Cal ISO to shed load at about 7:30 p.m. , followed by another notification half an hour later that it was no longer necessary , she said .
Although Pasadena has its own power plant , it is still tied to the regional electric grid overseen by Cal ISO .
“ With our local resources , usually we ’ re able to meet our community ’ s power needs , ” Otto said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the state grid.
” She said that officials are working hard to balance the power load statewide as they continue to navigate multiple crises .
“ I think there ’ s a variety of factors we all need to be concerned about , ” Otto said .
“ There ’ s the potential for wildfires , the high heat , energy use and all of the power generation sources.
” Forecasters said this heat wave could rival the 2006 heat wave , when Los Angeles County recorded its all-time highest temperature : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22. that coroners in Los Angeles , San Bernardino and Kern counties connected about 130 deaths to the heat , with diagnoses including hyperthermia and heatstroke .
But state researchers later estimated that the toll in those counties was more likely in the range of 350 to 450 .
Some Southern California counties had opened cooling centers Saturday , but the COVID-19 pandemic was causing them to rethink how they operate the centers , which often attract the elderly and people with underlying health conditions that make them particularly susceptible to heat as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kern County ’ s website laying out new precautions says people seeking refuge will be screened for fevers and other COVID-19 symptoms before entering a cooling center and those displaying signs of the disease will not be allowed inside .
Once inside , people will be asked to stay six feet apart and will be “ encouraged ” to wear a face covering , the website says .

Leila Miller, Paul Duginski, Tony Barboza, Jack Dolan, Alex Wigglesworth

At Woodley Park in Van Nuys, Blanca Celaya of Winnetka and her family enjoy the shade. She holds her 3-month-old son, Jason Celaya. Beyond are her daughter Celia Barinese and husband, Jaime Paiz. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
The scene at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro on Aug. 14, where a cooling breeze kept the shore comfortable. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
The Telles family of the San Fernando Valley enjoys the water of the Santa Ana River in Jurupa Valley. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
At the Santa Ana River in Jurupa Valley, Mike Garcia of Norco and his children Jose, 7, and Monica, 10, employ multiple stay-cool techniques. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Jacob Debreceni, 16, with friends Ismael Fuentes, left, and Kevin Lemus, cools off with the help of a backyard waterslide in Mira Loma, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
An employee of a hot dog stand works inside the eatery along the boardwalk in Santa Monica. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Liz Saul reads a novel on her iPad in the comfort of an air mattress in Venice. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters prepare to defend a home as flames from the River fire approach in Salinas on Aug. 17. (Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on Aug. 16. Numerous lightning strikes sparked brush fires throughout the region. (Noah Berger / Associated Press )
A funnel appears in a thick plume of smoke from the Loyalton fire in Lassen County, Calif., on Aug. 15. (Katelynn & Jordan Hewlett via Associated Press)
Watts residents pick out clothing during the Children Mending Hearts weekly food and clothing giveaway at the Watts Empowerment Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Jon Galapago takes a break from the heat in a hammock during a day of fishing at Lake Evans in Riverside. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Benjamin Cole II shows son Barreth Cole, 5, a routine while joining members of Barry’s Bootcamp as they conduct a workout session at the Watts Empowerment Center. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. Rams rookie outside linebacker Terrell Lewis towels away sweat as temperatures soar at the Rams training facility in Thousand Oaks. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
After a day at the beach, Sebastian Grand, 11, left, Leo Grand, 13, and Constantin Condraschi, 12, of Orange County have pizza at a Slice of New York Pizza in Seal Beach. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times)
The Holser Fire burns through the night just east of Lake Piru, where actress Naya Rivera died in mid-July. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
New rolling blackouts in parts of California were ordered Saturday night as power shortages continued because of an extreme heat wave.
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said Saturday night it was beginning to rotate power outages affecting up to 250,000 customers in Northern and Central California. San Diego Gas & Electric said it also interrupted power to some customers but had restored all service by 7 p.m.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said that 3,800 customers were without power late Saturday in the San Fernando Valley and that it could be four to 12 hours before electricity was restored. The affected areas included West Hills, Arleta, Granada Hills and Studio City.
Southern California Edison issued a warning to customers that rotating power outages might be called in its Los Angeles County service area through midnight. It said outages could last up to one hour.
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Earlier in the day, state regulators said they had expected to avoid further power interruptions through the weekend after some blackouts Friday.
The broiling conditions that began Friday may rival the deadly seven-day heat event of July 2006, the National Weather Service said.
The valleys, mountains and deserts of Southern California are likely to see both daytime and nighttime temperatures challenge records through at least Thursday, and elevated humidity will make conditions feel 2 to 5 degrees warmer during the day.
“People really need to take it seriously,” said Kathy Hoxsie, a meteorologist with the weather service in Oxnard. “Drink a lot of water. Find shade.”
Virtually no stretch of the Southland will be spared from conditions that Hoxsie said would be “hot, hot and hot.”
“We’re expecting the heat to continue through the weekend and into next week, probably peaking on Monday, Tuesday,” she said. “We have an excessive heat warning out for the Antelope Valley through Tuesday and the interior valleys through Monday.”
Air quality officials issued an advisory Friday warning that the heat wave was pushing lung-damaging ozone pollution to “very unhealthy” levels and that much of Southern California would experience elevated smog through Monday.
On Friday afternoon, ozone pollution in some areas reached its highest level in a decade as a result of high temperatures and wildfires, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
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The air district said that ozone, the invisible gas in smog that triggers asthma and other health problems, could reach “unhealthy” or “very unhealthy” levels in the afternoon hours from Saturday through Monday. The advisory covers areas including the Santa Clarita, San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, the Inland Empire and the Coachella Valley.
On Saturday, public health officials said that smoke from the Lake fire burning in the forest above Lake Hughes and the Ranch 2 fire burning above Azusa had also caused unhealthful air quality in many areas and warned people to avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure.
Because of excessive heat driving up electricity use, California declared a statewide Stage 3 emergency Friday evening for the first time since 2001 and ordered utilities to implement power disruption programs.
The California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s power grid, had issued a statewide flex alert earlier Friday, asking residents to conserve electricity between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. That alert asked consumers to set air conditioner thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, turn off unnecessary lights and not use major appliances.
Even during the pandemic, with many businesses shut down, overall electricity demand has followed the usual pattern: climbing during the workweek and trailing off over the weekend, said Anne Gonzales, spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator.
On Friday evening, California ISO ordered utilities to shed about 1,000 megawatts, leading to rolling blackouts across the state. A single megawatt powers about 750 homes, Gonzales said.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said its customers were not affected because the department generated and imported its own electricity and was able to meet the city’s demand.
In fact, the utility, which has never had to implement rolling blackouts due to excess demand, was able to sell 225 megawatts to California ISO between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., spokesman Joe Ramallo said.
Still, he said, the heat put strain on local power distribution networks, leading to isolated outages unrelated to the statewide rolling blackouts as some equipment became overloaded and failed. About 1,000 of the DWP’s 1.5 million customers were without power as of Saturday morning, most of them in the San Fernando Valley. On Friday night, localized outages were reported in Sunland and Wilmington, Ramallo said.
The problem can be particularly acute during prolonged heat waves like these, when nighttime temperatures don’t drop enough for the electrical equipment to cool down, he said.
“It’s like running your car at 100 mph nonstop and not giving it a break,” Ramallo said. “You’re eventually going to have some problems that pop up, and in this case there will be failed equipment and transformers.”
Roughly 132,000 of Southern California Edison’s 5 million customers lost power Friday night for about an hour, spokesman Robert Villegas said Saturday. All had their power restored by 8 p.m., he said.
“Typically what happens is [the blackouts] will be done in small blocks that include portions of communities, so we don’t shut down a county or something like that,” he said. He said the utility was also careful to avoid cutting off power to critical facilities like hospitals and public safety buildings.
The goal of the controlled rotating shutoffs is to avoid longer and more widespread outages due to equipment failures that can result when high demand puts a strain on the system, he said. The utility has also deployed emergency management crews throughout its service territory to quickly respond to and repair those types of outages for the duration of the heat wave.
“We totally understand it’s a hardship when you’re without power, especially in this time when options are limited,” Villegas said. “With students being at home now, starting school online, and people working from home, of course their livelihoods and their education are things that we’re looking at. So we’re trying to minimize as best we can interruption to people in their homes.”
The utility and others throughout the state are also urging customers to do their part by doing things like setting the thermostat no lower than 78 degrees and unplugging unused appliances.
“I always tell people that everything your mother told you when you were little, it was in fact true,” Villegas said. “Don’t leave the refrigerator door open while you’re thinking about what to get from inside. Don’t leave the back door open because it does let the heat in. Turn off lights when you’re not using them. … The simple things are really where it’s at here.”
Pasadena Water and Power shut off power to about 1,500 of its 65,000 electrical customers for 30 minutes on Friday, said spokeswoman Margie Otto.
The utility received a directive from California ISO to shed load about 7:30 p.m., followed by another notification half an hour later that it was no longer necessary, she said. Although Pasadena has its own power plant, it is still tied to the regional electric grid overseen by California ISO.
“With our local resources, usually we’re able to meet our community’s power needs,” Otto said. “This is about feeding back into the state grid.”
She said that officials are working hard to balance the power load statewide as they continue to navigate multiple crises.
“I think there’s a variety of factors we all need to be concerned about,” Otto said. “There’s the potential for wildfires, the high heat, energy use and all of the power generation sources.”
Forecasters said this heat wave could rival the 2006 heat wave, when Los Angeles County recorded its all-time highest temperature: 119 degrees in Woodland Hills on July 22.
The Times reported at the time that coroners in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Kern counties connected about 130 deaths to the heat, with diagnoses including hyperthermia and heatstroke. But state researchers later estimated that the toll in those counties was more likely in the range of 350 to 450.
Some Southern California counties had opened cooling centers Saturday, but the COVID-19 pandemic was causing them to rethink how they operate the centers, which often attract elderly residents and people with underlying health conditions that make them particularly susceptible to heat as well as illness.
A notice on Kern County’s website laying out new precautions says people seeking refuge will be screened for fevers and other COVID-19 symptoms before entering a cooling center, and those displaying signs of the disease will not be allowed inside.
Once inside, people will be asked to stay six feet apart and will be “encouraged” to wear a face covering, the website says.


latimes--2020-08-15--State's freeze of COVID-19 watchlist magnifies breakdown in communication to counties

When Mono County was placed on the state ’ s COVID-19 watchlist for the first time last month after a spike in cases was reported in the town of Mammoth Lakes , the onus was placed on restaurants as the culprit of the surges .
Eateries that had implemented safety protocols starting in March suddenly had to prove that their staff was in the clear .
Some businesses with just one case or none at all were forced to close , employees were out of work and hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue was lost during the busiest time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roughly 580 restaurant employees ultimately tested positive for the virus , Mono County Health Officer Dr. Tom Boo told restaurant owners earlier this week .
In a Zoom meeting with health officials and in conversations with The Times , restaurant owners said they felt that their sector had been vilified by the county .
In the time since they ’ ve been allowed to reopen , some owners said they believe that the county ’ s previous announcement had stigmatized their businesses , which in turn has created mistrust that has led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve lost a significant local following .
People have lost confidence — they think we ’ re some dangerous breeding ground for the virus , ” local restaurant owner Alisa Mokler said .
The population of Mammoth Lakes is roughly 8,100 — more than half of Mono County ’ s roughly 14,200 .
The county created an action plan to gain a handle on the sudden spike in order to move off the state ’ s monitoring list .
Although the case count has risen to 160 from 84 , the rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , which is below the state ’ s threshold of 8 % — the metric that placed the county on the state ’ s monitoring list in the first place .
But the watchlist was frozen last week after state officials announced that a backlog of test result data had led to an inaccurate count of coronavirus cases .
The list tracks case counts , community transmissions , hospitalizations and other data and guides the state ’ s decision to allow counties to open certain sectors , including schools and in-person services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed that as many as 300,000 records had not been processed by the computer clearinghouse system relied upon to provide to local officials the COVID-19 test results reported by labs on a daily basis .
Two separate errors were identified — one related to a computer server outage , the other to the expiration of an electronic certificate for data to be transferred from Quest Diagnostics laboratories .
On Monday , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said the backlog of computer records had been cleared over the weekend .
The governor said Friday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available Monday .
But county officials throughout the state have said they ’ ve been left in the dark .
Communication breakdowns between the state and counties have been constant as the state has shifted between reopenings and shutdowns , resulting in a patchwork of rules that differ county by county .
Confusion has been magnified over the last two weeks .
“ The issue for us and perhaps many counties is how to get off the list when the metrics are below the state thresholds for the required 14-days , ” Mammoth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We have been unable to get any clarification from the state , and [ it ’ s ] even harder now with Dr. Sonia Angell ’ s departure.
” Angell , Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s director of the California Department of Public Health , resigned on Sunday , days after the state revealed problems with its database .
Some counties , such as Los Angeles , that have been hit hard by the virus have been on the state ’ s watchlist since its inception in late June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen a recent drop in cases and rate of infection and have expressed frustration that the state ’ s mistake has led to an extended penalization at the county level .
“ We do not feel we should have been put on the watchlist , that these numbers don ’ t necessitate that type of extreme action by the state in this case and especially because these numbers are in dispute and remain in dispute at this point in time , ” San Mateo County Manager Mike Callagy said during a news briefing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know a clear path off this list.
” Officials in Orange and San Diego counties believe that they ’ ve reached the state ’ s safety threshold to be removed from the watchlist , but do not have specifics for when or if that may occur .
In Orange County , Supervisor Michelle Steel said Thursday that although the local outlook is promising , the problems with the data and consequences thereafter have been of concern .
“ For months now [ the Board of Supervisors ] has asked questions and raised concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Orange County ’ s request for information on how the data , which is used to make policy decisions , was recorded .
“ Our cities rely on this data to best determine how to respond to the change in case count and COVID-19-related deaths.
” San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said Thursday during a COVID-19 briefing that local public health leadership has been in contact with state officials to learn more about the process for lifting restrictions , but so far has not received specific answers .
“ If we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get , we will certainly share that , ” Fletcher said .
In Mono County , the watch list placement caused widespread fear throughout the close-knit community .
Some business owners gave employees who worked second jobs at restaurants an ultimatum to choose , and longtime local patrons — who are integral to the economy during non-tourist seasons — grew concerned .
“ We were made to feel like we were the problem and we weren ’ t doing what we were supposed to be doing , ” local restaurant owner Victoria Farber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen over the last two weeks , but in certain regards , the damage is already done .

Though California’s COVID-19 watchlist has been frozen since last week, officials in Orange County believe they have reached the required thresholds to be removed from the list. Above, a “Please wear mask” sign outside a clothing store in Huntington Beach.
When Mono County was placed on the state’s COVID-19 watchlist for the first time last month after a surge in cases was reported in the town of Mammoth Lakes, the onus was placed on restaurants as the culprit behind the surges.
Eateries that had instituted safety protocols starting in March had to prove their staffs were in the clear. Some businesses with just one case or none at all were forced to close, employees were out of work, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue was lost during the busiest time of the season.
Thirty-five out of roughly 580 restaurant employees ultimately tested positive for the coronavirus, Mono County Health Officer Dr. Tom Boo told restaurant owners earlier this week. In a Zoom meeting with health officials and in conversations with The Times, restaurant owners said they felt their sector had been vilified by the county.
In the time since they’ve been allowed to reopen, some owners said they believed the county’s previous announcement had stigmatized their businesses, which in turn created mistrust that has led to a drop in customers.
“We’ve lost a significant local following. People have lost confidence — they think we’re some dangerous breeding ground for the virus,” restaurant owner Alisa Mokler said.
The population of Mammoth Lakes is about 8,100 — more than half of Mono County’s roughly 14,200. The county created an action plan to gain a handle on the case surge in order to move off the state’s monitoring list. Although the case count has risen to 160 from 84, the rate of positive test results has dropped to 4%, which is below the state’s threshold of 8% — the metric that placed the county on the state’s monitoring list in the first place.
But the watchlist was frozen last week after state officials announced that a backlog of test result data had led to an inaccurate count of coronavirus cases. The list tracks case counts, community transmissions, hospitalizations and other data and guides the state’s decision to allow counties to open certain sectors, including schools and in-person services at places of worship.
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State officials confirmed that as many as 300,000 records had not been processed by the computer clearinghouse system relied upon to provide to local officials the test results reported by labs on a daily basis. Two separate errors were identified — one related to a computer server outage, and the other to the expiration of an electronic certificate for data to be transferred from Quest Diagnostics laboratories.
On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the backlog had been cleared over the weekend. The governor said Friday that more information regarding the list would become available Monday. But county officials throughout the state have said they’ve been left in the dark.
Communication breakdowns between the state and counties have been constant as the state has shifted between reopenings and shutdowns, resulting in a patchwork of rules that differ county by county. Confusion has been magnified over the last two weeks.
“The issue for us and perhaps many counties is how to get off the list when the metrics are below the state thresholds for the required 14 days,” Mammoth Lakes public information officer Stuart Brown said. “We have been unable to get any clarification from the state, and [it’s] even harder now with Dr. Sonia Angell’s departure.”
Angell, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s director of the California Department of Public Health, resigned Sunday, days after the state revealed problems with its database.
Los Angeles and other counties that have been hit especially hard by the virus have been on the state’s watchlist since its inception in late June. Others added more recently have seen a drop in cases and positivity rates and have expressed frustration that the state’s mistake led to an extended penalization at the county level.
“We do not feel we should have been put on the watchlist, that these numbers don’t necessitate that type of extreme action by the state in this case and especially because these numbers are in dispute and remain in dispute at this point in time,” San Mateo County Manager Mike Callagy said during a news briefing Wednesday. “We don’t know a clear path off this list.”
Officials in Orange and San Diego counties believed they had reached the threshold to be removed from the watchlist, but they did not know if or when that may occur.
In Orange County, Supervisor Michelle Steel said Thursday that although the local outlook is promising, the problems with the data and consequences thereafter have been of concern.
“For months now, [the Board of Supervisors] has asked questions and raised concerns about the data,” Steel said of Orange County’s request for information on how the data were recorded. “Our cities rely on this data to best determine how to respond to the change in case count and COVID-19-related deaths.”
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San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said Thursday during a COVID-19 briefing that local public health leadership has been in contact with state officials to learn more about the process for lifting restrictions but so far has not received specific answers.
“If we get additional guidance, which we could get, we will certainly share that,” Fletcher said.
In Mono County, the watchlist placement caused widespread fear throughout the close-knit community. Some business owners gave employees who worked second jobs at restaurants an ultimatum to choose between the two, and longtime local patrons — who are integral to the economy during tourism off-seasons — grew concerned.
“We were made to feel like we were the problem and we weren’t doing what we were supposed to be doing,” restaurant owner Victoria Farber said.
Businesses have been able to reopen over the last two weeks, but in certain regards, the damage is already done.
Times Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-08-15--Lopez: A pandemic road trip isn't for cowards. Things to know before you go

The goal was simple and straightforward : Drive north to Napa Valley from Los Angeles on Interstate 5 , work my way back home over three days on the 101 , and try to avoid doing anything that might expose me to the coronavirus .
Impossible ?
Inadvisable ?
Or simple enough if I played it safe , with a mask over my mug and a cushion of social distance around me ?
I had wondered whether to go at all , given the risks .
But this wasn ’ t a contest or an experiment , it was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change story I ’ ve been working on .
I ruled out travel by air .
Why take the risk of being trapped in a flying capsule and having to deal with the hassles of renting a car ?
But staying in hotels didn ’ t hold much appeal , either , in the state with the biggest number of COVID cases .
During the pandemic , a lot of people have opted for motor home rentals over hotels , so I checked out that option .
Courtney Leon of El Monte RV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three or four times in recent months .
She said a 22-foot motel on wheels is now priced at $ 239 a day , and it sleeps four people comfortably , with a toilet , sink , shower , refrigerator , stove and microwave .
Not bad , but it ’ s recommended that you rent spots in campgrounds rather than pull over and sleep on the street or in a parking lot , which is illegal in many places and might not be safe .
And those campground sites are often booked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to hotels .
My editor suggested staying in places where you can open a window to air out the room .
Or in places with a wall-mounted air conditioner rather than pumped in recirculated air .
I called the photographer I was meeting up with , and he said he ’ d been staying in hotel chains with coronavirus sanitizing protocols , details of which can be found on the hotel websites .
I booked a room at the Best Western Plus in Calistoga , which says on its website that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
There ’ s extra emphasis on “ door handles , light switches , thermostats , desk areas , hangers , television remotes , alarm clocks , coffee makers , telephones and all bathroom fixture handles and touch points.
” And the chain notes that “ the room you stay in will likely not have been used for a period of 24 to 72 hours from the prior guest — a form of social distancing related to the life expectancy of the COVID-19 virus.
” I hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fruit , nuts and energy bars to last three days , so I could avoid takeout for breakfast and lunch , another way to limit human contact .
I brought a case of bottled water so I could avoid having to refill a reusable container .
And I had enough anti-bacterial wipes , sanitizer and masks to outfit a rural hospital , with goggles , bar soap , a face shield , paper towels and goggles in the trunk .
Heading down the Grapevine , to that great open expanse of the Central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 is the greatest argument for driverless vehicles .
The topography is interesting for a while , until you notice that it doesn ’ t change , and that keeping your eyes open may be the greatest physical challenge of your life .
So you need more coffee , except that more joe means more go , which is a no-no in a pandemic .
When the urge first hit , I was determined to wait for a rest area rather than enter a gas station virus chamber , but a man of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I rolled down the windows , blasted a Sunday preacher on the radio and slowly recited 10 Hail Marys .
Faith got me to the Buttonwillow rest area , which was temporarily closed , so I cursed .
The Coalinga-Avenal rest stop was another 60 miles up the road , which seemed as far off as a reliable vaccine , but I made it in the nick of time .
I made it to Calistoga in seven hours and checked into my hotel , asking the clerk — who was masked in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were kept vacant for 24 to 72 hours between guests .
She said no , not necessarily .
That was a little disconcerting , but what could I do ?
The place seemed clean and orderly , and there was a seal on my door signifying the room had been sanitized .
After opening the door , I washed my hands , set my keys , phone and pocket change down on a counter , then wondered if that was safe , so I washed the keys , phone and pocket change , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flipped a light switch , which made me think I should wash the finger that touched the switch , as well as the hand I used to push open the bathroom door .
The room was warm , but it was 95 outside , so opening a window was no good .
Should I turn on the wall-mounted air conditioner , or might the last guest have sneezed on it ?
I removed the bedspread and washed my hands .
I stretched a clean T-shirt over my pillow .
I wrapped tissue around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Was it OK to breathe , or should I have brought oxygen tanks and scuba gear ?
I was somewhat less neurotic the next night at my hotel in Santa Cruz , and maybe even a bit less at my final hotel in Paso Robles .
But the constant fear that I was going to touch something with a microscopic droplet of the lethal virus was taxing .
Imagine what it would be like to be a housekeeper ?
Maria Mora , who cleans 10 rooms a day at a downtown Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she is nervous every time she walks into a room , even though she uses gloves and a mask .
Often , the guests are medical staff members from local hospitals who stay in hotels to avoid bringing exposure home , which isn ’ t exactly reassuring for the people who clean up after them .
“ I ’ m terrified of contracting the virus and coming home with it , ” Mora said , telling me she lives with five people , including an asthmatic son .
Mora said she cut her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to minimize the risk , but that means paying the bills has become an even greater challenge .
If you do travel , folks , don ’ t forget to tip the housekeepers .
A lot of people didn ’ t seem to find travel in a pandemic as unnerving as I did .
I saw a lot of outdoor dining and cars pulling in and out of wine tasting rooms .
Linsey Gallagher of Visit Napa Valley said hotel occupancy was near 50 % in July , with bigger numbers on weekends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said tourism is down about 30 % from last year but picking up lately .
But I saw way too many people without masks in public spaces , and it ’ s hard not to think we may be rushing things — which will only lead to another surge and delay the recovery .
If you do venture out and don ’ t already know this , restrooms are not necessarily open at gas stations , fast-food restaurants or coffee shops .
If you see a car pulled off to the side of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good chance it wasn ’ t so the occupants could take pictures .
I managed , I think , to keep a safe distance from people for three days .
And I have to admit that after months of staying near home it was liberating to be on the road in a state so vast , varied and relentlessly stunning .
It was also a big relief , and felt like a vacation from stress , to get back home .

It was nice to be out on the road in this beautiful state, but it was also nerve-racking.
The goal was simple and straightforward:
Drive north to Napa Valley from Los Angeles on Interstate 5, work my way back home over three days on the 101, and try to avoid doing anything that might expose me to the coronavirus.
Impossible? Inadvisable? Or simple enough if I played it safe, with a mask over my mug and a cushion of social distance around me?
I had wondered whether to go at all, given the risks. But this wasn’t a contest or an experiment; it was to do the final reporting on a climate change story I’ve been working on.
I ruled out travel by air. Why take the risk of being trapped in a flying capsule and having to deal with the hassles of renting a car? But staying in hotels didn’t hold much appeal, either, in the state with the biggest number of COVID-19 cases.
During the pandemic, a lot of people have opted for motor home rentals over hotels, so I checked out that option. Courtney Leon of El Monte RV told me rental business has increased by three or four times in recent months. She said a 22-foot motel on wheels is now priced at $239 a day, and it sleeps four people comfortably, with a toilet, sink, shower, refrigerator, stove and microwave.
Not bad, but it’s recommended that you rent spots in campgrounds rather than pull over and sleep on the street or in a parking lot, which is illegal in many places and might not be safe. And those campground sites are often booked well in advance.
Advertisement
So I was back to hotels. My editor suggested staying in places where you can open a window to air out the room. Or in places with a wall-mounted air conditioner rather than pumped in recirculated air. I called the photographer I was meeting up with, and he said he’d been staying in hotel chains with coronavirus sanitizing protocols, details of which can be found on the hotel websites.
I booked a room at the Best Western Plus in Calistoga, which says on its website that the chain uses cleaning products recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There’s extra emphasis on “door handles, light switches, thermostats, desk areas, hangers, television remotes, alarm clocks, coffee makers, telephones and all bathroom fixture handles and touch points.”
And the chain notes that “the room you stay in will likely not have been used for a period of 24 to 72 hours from the prior guest — a form of social distancing related to the life expectancy of the COVID-19 virus.”
I hit the road Sunday morning with enough fruit, nuts and energy bars to last three days, so I could avoid takeout for breakfast and lunch, another way to limit human contact. I brought a case of bottled water so I could avoid having to refill a reusable container. And I had enough antibacterial wipes, sanitizer and masks to outfit a rural hospital, with goggles, bar soap, a face shield, paper towels and goggles in the trunk.
Heading down the Grapevine, to that great open expanse of the Central Valley, I was reminded that Interstate 5 is the greatest argument for driverless vehicles. The topography is interesting for a while, until you notice that it doesn’t change, and that keeping your eyes open may be the greatest physical challenge of your life.
So you need more coffee, except that more joe means more go, which is a no-no in a pandemic. When the urge first hit, I was determined to wait for a rest area rather than enter a gas station virus chamber, but a man of age gets droopy-eyed on long hauls. I rolled down the windows, blasted a Sunday preacher on the radio and slowly recited 10 Hail Marys. Faith got me to the Buttonwillow rest area, which was temporarily closed, so I cursed.
Advertisement
The Coalinga-Avenal rest stop was another 60 miles up the road, which seemed as far off as a reliable vaccine, but I made it in the nick of time.
I made it to Calistoga in seven hours and checked into my hotel, asking the clerk — who was masked in a plexiglass bunker — if indeed the rooms were kept vacant for 24 to 72 hours between guests. She said no, not necessarily. That was a little disconcerting, but what could I do? The place seemed clean and orderly, and there was a seal on my door signifying the room had been sanitized.
After opening the door, I washed my hands, set my keys, phone and pocket change down on a counter, then wondered if that was safe, so I washed the keys, phone and pocket change, put them on a towel, then flipped a light switch, which made me think I should wash the finger that touched the switch, as well as the hand I used to push open the bathroom door.
The room was warm, but it was 95 outside, so opening a window was no good. Should I turn on the wall-mounted air conditioner, or might the last guest have sneezed on it?
Hotel paranoia had set in.
I removed the bedspread and washed my hands. I stretched a clean T-shirt over my pillow. I wrapped tissue around the remote before turning on the TV. Was it OK to breathe, or should I have brought oxygen tanks and scuba gear?
I was somewhat less neurotic the next night at my hotel in Santa Cruz, and maybe even a bit less at my final hotel in Paso Robles. But the constant fear that I was going to touch something with a microscopic droplet of the coronavirus was taxing. Imagine what it would be like to be a housekeeper?
Maria Mora, who cleans 10 rooms a day at a downtown Los Angeles hotel, later told me that she is nervous every time she walks into a room, even though she uses gloves and a mask. Often, the guests are medical staff members from local hospitals who stay in hotels to avoid bringing exposure home, which isn’t exactly reassuring for the people who clean up after them.
“I’m terrified of contracting the virus and coming home with it,” Mora said, telling me she lives with five people, including an asthmatic son. Mora said she cut her weekly schedule from five days to two to minimize the risk, but that means paying the bills has become an even greater challenge.
If you do travel, folks, don’t forget to tip the housekeepers.
A lot of people didn’t seem to find travel in a pandemic as unnerving as I did. I saw a lot of outdoor dining and cars pulling in and out of wine tasting rooms. Linsey Gallagher of Visit Napa Valley said hotel occupancy was near 50% in July, with bigger numbers on weekends. Kathy Janega-Dykes of Visit Santa Barbara said tourism is down about 30% from last year but has been picking up lately.
But I saw way too many people without masks in public spaces, and it’s hard not to think we may be rushing things — which will only lead to another surge and delay the recovery.
If you do venture out and don’t already know this, restrooms are not necessarily open at gas stations, fast-food restaurants or coffee shops. If you see a car pulled off to the side of the road, there’s a good chance it wasn’t so the occupants could take pictures.
I managed, I think, to keep a safe distance from people for three days. And I have to admit that after months of staying near home, it was liberating to be on the road in a state so vast, varied and relentlessly stunning.
It was also a big relief, and felt like a vacation from stress, to get back home.
steve.lopez@latimes.com