Los Angeles heat wave leaves neighborhoods watching outages as temperatures climb again

Los Angeles residents face another dangerous day of heat Friday, August 28, with an Extreme Heat Warning remaining in effect through 8 p.m. PDT as neighborhoods that recently lost power continue watching for interruptions.

The warning covers specified Los Angeles County coastal, inland, mountain and valley zones. The National Weather Service said temperatures of about 92 to 102 degrees were common in coastal areas, including Downtown Los Angeles, while many valleys and mountains could reach 100 to 110 degrees. Warm overnight conditions are expected to provide less relief than usual.

What the warning means for Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles is included in the warning area, while the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley and other inland locations face higher temperatures. The warning does not apply uniformly to every Los Angeles neighborhood.

The weather service said there is a high risk of dangerous heat illness, especially for young children, older adults, people without air conditioning and people active outdoors. Residents should drink fluids, stay in air-conditioned spaces when possible, limit strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day and check on relatives and neighbors.

Recent outages add concern

Recent power disruptions affected parts of Echo Park and Westlake during the heat wave. The Los Angeles Times reported that outages may have affected up to 3,000 residents at different points Wednesday, while an LADWP spokesperson said about 800 customers in those neighborhoods remained without power Wednesday evening.

Echo Park service was restored early Thursday, according to FOX 11, after an outage that began around 11 p.m. Tuesday and affected about 800 customers. The Los Angeles Times reported that LADWP’s outage map showed about 60 Echo Park customers still without power Thursday afternoon. Because outage information changes quickly, those figures should not be treated as Friday’s current count.

LADWP has said the cause of the outages remains under investigation. Officials have not established that extreme heat caused the Echo Park or Westlake disruptions.

Residents should use LADWP’s live outage map for the latest restoration information, including any remaining Westlake outages. The utility says customers can subscribe to text or email alerts for significant outages, updates and restoration.

Where to cool down

The City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department listed dedicated cooling centers open Friday, August 28, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Locations include the Algin Sutton Recreation Center, Canoga Park 50+ Adult Center, North Hollywood Senior Citizen Center, Sunland Senior Citizen Center, Pecan Recreation Center, Highland Park Adult Senior Citizen Center, Lafayette Multipurpose Community Center, Pan Pacific Senior Activity Center and East Wilmington Greenbelt Community Center.

City library branches and many Recreation and Parks facilities are also available for cooling during regular operating hours. The city says its Recreation and Parks cooling facilities are pet-friendly; dogs must be leashed and pets must remain with their owners. Hours and availability can change, so residents should check the city’s current heat guidance or call 3-1-1 before traveling.

What to do during an outage

Report a power outage through LADWP’s outage page or call 1-800-DIAL-DWP, or 1-800-342-5397. LADWP says the line is available 24 hours a day for emergency and outage calls. Customers can also sign up for text or email outage alerts.

Use flashlights instead of candles, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed and follow LADWP’s safety guidance. Do not sacrifice necessary cooling to conserve electricity; health and safety come first.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Anyone showing severe confusion, loss of consciousness or other signs of heat stroke should be moved to a cool place while someone calls 911. Residents should recheck the National Weather Service warning, city cooling guidance and LADWP outage map because conditions and restoration information may change during the day.

Sources

• National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard Extreme Heat Warning
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power outage information
• Los Angeles Emergency Management Department heat guidance and cooling centers
• Los Angeles Times heat and outage report

Look for updates to this story

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