A major heat wave is set to hit California this week

The week of the Fourth of July holiday is going to be a hot one.

A heat wave hitting much of California today is expected to spark dangerous fires and send temperatures inland to over 30 degrees Fahrenheit, with some relief not expected until the weekend.

The prediction shows Fresno, Sacramento, Bakers field, Modesto, Lancaster and other cities where temperatures will exceed 43 degrees Celsius in the coming days. Death Valley could reach 125.

“This level of heat could pose a danger to the entire population if proper heat safety practices are not followed,” the National Weather Service warned yesterday.

There is a small chance that the heatwave will continue until July 15. Weather experts expect it to remain warm at night, meaning that people without air conditioning will have little relief at night.

My colleague Judson Jones reports that some places in California could break records for consecutive days of extremely high temperatures this week. Redding, for example, could match or break its longest stretch of 110-degree heat, six days.

Weather officials advise staying out of direct sunlight, drinking plenty of water and moving to air-conditioned areas if possible. And they ask you to check on your friends, family and neighbors. That’s especially important if you’re in the San Joaquin or Sacramento Valleys, the regions most likely to see record-breaking heat.

And what about barbecues and outdoor gatherings on the Fourth of July? Try to stay in the shade (or at least take breaks there), wear light, lightweight clothing and stay hydrated, says Dakari Anderson, a meteorologist with the Weather Service’s Sacramento office.

It will be a warm week along the coast, but not an exceptionally warm one. This is especially true for the southern half of the state: Temperatures in downtown los angeles And Anaheim will peak at about 90 degrees, and in San Diego And Long beach in the low 80’s.

Conditions will be unusually warm in the Bay Area. Mostly cold San Francisco 86 degrees is expected this week, Oakland can heat up to 91 and San Jose can become 101.

While high temperatures will continue for most places later in the week, the fire danger is greatest today and tomorrow due to the unusually low humidity and potential for gusty winds. The Weather Service has issued red flag warnings for large parts of California, including the Sacramento Valley and the Bay Area mountain ranges, that will last until late today or tomorrow afternoon.

Due to the dry conditions the state announced yesterday that it had stationed firefighters and equipment in seven high-risk counties in case new fires broke out. And Pacific Gas & Electric warned that it would likely temporarily shut off power to parts of 10 provinces to reduce the risk of a wind-damaged power line causing a wildfire.

You can search by PG&E website to see if your home or business is in an area where a power outage is planned. The shutoffs would be the utility’s first planned power outage of the year.

For more:

• Search the website for the weather forecast for the coming week for your city. Website of the Weather Service.

• The air quality in the Bay Area is expect it to be bad today. Officials advise not to drive if you can avoid it, and to limit outdoor activities.

And before you go, some good news

Last November, Jack Johnson, a California native, entered a transatlantic yacht race in a boat he built himself. It wasn’t something he planned for himself, because 10 years earlier he thought his path was set. Los Angeles Times reports.

Things began to change when he got married and four stepdaughters and a cat came into his life. He and his wife, Deby, encouraged each other to try new and difficult things, and when Mr. Johnson and his friend Michael Moyer entered the race, Deby was excited about what was to come, prompting Jack to promise to finish the race.

Mr. Johnson assembled the boat overnight while working during the day, and in October 2023, he, his wife, and Mr. Moyer flew to Portugal. The participants left on November 11, and after more than four weeks at sea, battling storms, exhaustion, and loneliness, Mr. Johnson arrived in Antigua.

He was told that he had finished first and after calling his wife, the party could begin.

With her support, Mr. Johnson says he’s ready to try something new and perhaps less adventurous: a dance class.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Soumya

PS Here is Today’s Mini Crossword.

Halina Bennet, Briana Scalia and Luke Caramanico contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com.

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