On the heels of a record-breaking heat wave in early September, another prolonged heat wave with strong Santa Ana winds will bring an elevated risk for more wildfires in some areas of Southern California. The heat wave is expected to last through Friday.
The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures 15 degrees above normal and some areas may experience record high heat. Red Flag Warnings have been issued in Los Angeles and Ventura County mountains and Santa Clarita Valley for early in the week.
Southern California Edison has crews ready to respond in case these extreme weather conditions result in additional power outages. The utility is asking customers to help conserve energy to alleviate stress on the electrical grid.
In addition to setting thermostats at 78 degrees, customers can use their blinds and disconnect devices that are not being used. SCE customers can also access rebates, programs and other energy-saving tools at: energy saving tips. As more customers take these actions, conservation will go a long way.
SCE customers can report or inquire about outages at 800-611-1911 and get the latest information using the outages app at sce.com/outages. You can also get information and updates by visiting: sce.com/staysafe, twitter.com/sce and facebook.com/sce.
SCE reminds customers that if they see a downed power line, stay away and call SCE at 800-611-1911 or call 911.
Here are some other ways customers can conserve energy:
- Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and to 85 degrees or “off” when you are away.
- Cook with a grill outside, or microwave, to keep your home cooler.
- Give your air conditioner a rest when you can and cool your home with open windows and fans.
- Shut off lights when leaving a room.
- Close your blinds to keep out the afternoon heat.
- Limit the opening and reopening of refrigerators, which are major users of electricity in many homes.
- Plug home electronics into power strips and turn off power strips when equipment is not in use.
- Unplug electronic devices and chargers when they are not in use. Give your dryer a break and hang-dry your clothes.
- When possible, businesses should shift power-intensive work to morning or late-evening hours.
