Crowded swimming holes, busy cooling centers and shuttered schools are all part of record-setting temperatures hitting California as excessive heat warnings were issued into Thursday night in many areas, especially the Central Valley and lower mountain elevations.
Hundreds of cooling centers are open in senior centers and libraries around California as high temperatures statewide, some triple-digit numbers, were expected from Sacramento to San Bernardino and Fresno to Fullerton in a heat-wave forecast, according to the National Weather Service.
State health officials are reminding people to protect themselves during the sizzling heat. "It is important that everyone stay cool, stay hydrated, stay inside and take other precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses," said Dr. Karen Smith, state health officer, in a statement from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).
At highest risk during extreme heat are young children, the elderly, people with chronic illness or disabilities, pregnant women and people who are socially isolated.
"Taking a moment to check on someone who lives alone can make a big difference in these extreme conditions," said Will Lightbourne, director of the California Department of Social Services, in the CDPH release.