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Smoke from Palos Verdes fire drifting to O.C.
August 27th, 2009, 5:00 am · 44 Comments · posted by Gary Robbins, science writer-editor
A wildfire that’s destroying homes on the Palos Verdes Peninsula is producing smoke that’s wafting into the northwest corner of Orange County, and is also producing a foul smell.
The fire broke out earlier this evening, on the second day of a heat wave that sent temperatures up to 109 degrees in Orange County today. Forecasters say it is possible that the county will be even hotter on Friday. The National Weather Service has issued a special advisory, telling people to consume lots of water and avoid exertion so that they don’t suffer heat stroke.
Today’s highest temperatures were recorded in Silverado and Modjeska canyons, where the mercury hit 109. The relative humidity also was in the teens. But there was little wind, lowering wildfire risk a tiny bit.
Fullerton Airport hit 107, tying the record high there for Aug. 27th (set in 1981). The record-smashing happened in Santa Ana, which recorded a high of 105, which is seven degrees higher than the previous record for Aug. 27.
“Friday isn’t going to be any better. In fact, I think the heat will actually peak in Orange County on Friday,” says Mark Moede, a weather service forecaster. “It could be 1-2 degrees hotter. Things will begin to stabilize on Saturday.”
The National Weather Service hasn’t issued a red flag alert because winds are light and are expected to remain that way. But there have been fires not far from here.
Reporter Sal Hernandez reports that, “A large plume of smoke visible from South Orange County is coming from a brush fire in the northern part of Camp Pendleton, officials said. The fire has burned about 20 acres.
“The fire is burning in a training area in the northern part of the base, said Sgt. Darhonda Rodella, a spokeswoman with the base.
“The fire is not threatening any structures, she said. The size and cause of the blaze isn’t known.
Hernandez also reports that: Because of the heat and dry weather, the Orange County Fire Authority decided Wednesday evening to staff a Type 3 strike team in case of an emergency, said Capt. Greg McKeown of the OCFA. These teams consist of fire fire engines equiped for tough terrain, the type of engine used during wildfires.
After staffing the engine, OCFA received a call for assistance for the Los Angeles fire and the Type 3 strike team was dispatched there. On Thursday morning, OCFA began equipping another Type 3 strike team for the county.
There’s a list of cooling centers further down in this post.
Here’s a sample of high temperatures through 3 p.m.:
- Silverado Canyon: 109
- Modjeska Canyon: 109
- Fullerton Airport: 107
- Fremont Canyon: 105
- Santa Ana: 105
- Tonner Canyon 104
- Bell Canyon: 103
- Ladera Ranch: 103
- Placentia: 102
- Dove Canyon: 102
- Trabuco Canyon: 102
- Lake Forest: 102
- Yorba Linda: 102
- Orange: 101
- Foothill Ranch: 101
- Rancho Santa Margarita: 101
- Laguna Hills: 100
- Aliso Viejo: 100
- Irvine: 97
- Lake Mission Viejo: 97
- San Juan Capistrano: 97
- Laguna Niguel: 99
- Garden Grove: 96
- Angel Stadium, Anaheim: 99
- Lake Mission Viejo: 97
- John Wayne Airport: 92
- Huntington Beach: 91
- Laguna Beach: 90
- San Clemente: 86
- Dana Point: 86
The weather service says heat records are likely to fall for the second straight day.
On Wednesday, the temperature hit 102 in Santa Ana, breaking the record for Aug. 26th by 3 degrees. The previous record was set in 1981. So was the previous high in Laguna Beach, where the mercury hit 91 on Tuesday. It was 90 in ‘81.
Temperatures won’t have to rebound much. At 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, it was still 81 degrees in Fullerton, 80 in Placentia and 78 in Santa Ana, the weather service says.
“The beaches could hit 90 on Thursday; the sea breeze won’t be strong for most of the day,” says Steve Vanderburg, a weather service forecaster.
That’s good news for Hollywood. The TV program “90210″ is shooting scenes at Bolsa Chica State Beach today.
TIPS on beating the heat at O.C.’s Disney parks
| City Name | Location of Cooling Center | Hours of Operation | Contact Phone number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim | Central Branch Library 500 West Broadway Anaheim, CA 92805 | Monday-Friday: 9am to 9pm Saturday 9am to 6pm | (714) 765-1880 |
| Haskett Branch Library 2650 W. Broadway Anaheim, CA 92804 | Monday-Thursday: 10am to 9pm Friday & Saturday: Noon to 6pm Sundays: Noon to 5pm | (714) 765-5075 | |
| Euclid Branch Library 1340 South Euclid Anaheim, CA 92802 | Monday-Wednesday: 12pm to 9pm Thursday: 11am to 9pm Friday & Saturday: 11am to 6pm | (714) 765-3625 | |
| Sunkist Branch Library 901 South Sunkist Anaheim, CA 92806 | Monday-Wednesday: 12pm to 9pm Thursday: 11am to 9pm Friday & Saturday: 11am to 6pm | (714) 765-3576 | |
| Canyon Hills Branch Library 400 Scout Trail Anaheim, CA 92807 | Monday-Thursday: 10am to 9pm Friday: 10am to 6pm Saturday: 10am to 6pm | (714) 974-7630 | |
| Downtown Community Center 250 E. Center St. | Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday 8am – 4pm Sunday 8am – 8pm | (714) 765-4500 | |
| Brookhurst Community Center 2271 W. Crescent Ave | Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 3:30 pm | (714) 765-3373 | |
| West Anaheim Youth Center 320 S. Beach Blvd. | Thursday & Friday 8/27 & 8/28 8am to 8pm Saturday 8/29: 3pm to 8pm Sunday 8/30: 4pm to 8pm | (714) 765-6400 | |
| Brea | Brea Community Center 695 E. Madison Way Brea, CA 92821 | Monday – Friday: 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sunday: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. | (714) 990-7100 |
| Brea Senior Center 500 S. Sievers. St. Brea, CA 92821 | Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday | (714) 990-7750 | |
| Brea Branch Library 1 Civic Center Circle Brea, CA 92821 | Monday & Thursday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday & Wednesday: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Friday and Sunday | (714) 671-1722 | |
| Brea Mall Imperial Hwy. and State College Blvd. Brea, CA 92821 | Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. | (714) 990-2732 | |
| Costa Mesa | Downtown Recreation Center (DRC) Multi-Purpose Room 1860 Anaheim Avenue Costa Mesa, CA 92627 | Thursday, August 27th - 8:00am to 7:00pm Friday, August 28th - 8:00am to 7:00pm Saturday, August 29th - 9:00am to 6:00pm Sunday, August 30th - 11:00am to 6:00pm | (714) 327-7560 |
| La Habra | La Habra Community Center 101 W. La Habra Blvd. La Habra, CA 90631 | 8am to 5pm | (562) 905-9708 |
| Laguna Woods | Laguna Woods City Hall 24264 El Toro Road Laguna Woods, CA 92637 | Monday-Friday: 8am to 5pm | (949) 639-0500 |
| Tustin | Tustin Area Senior Center 200 S C Street | Wednesday-Friday: 12pm to 5pm | (714) 573-3340 |
- List of weather stations in every O.C. city
- NWS fire weather advisories
- Update of wildfires burning in California
Quiz quiz: A Frenchman invented the hyrometer, the device that measures humidity. What was his name? Answer at bottom of post.
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I believe it was Leonardo da Vinci that invented the first Hygrometer….
It is already 76 in Mission Viejo, 2 degrees warmer than 24 hours ago. We are easily on pace to break 100 today after hitting 98 yesterday.
at 6:45 this morning it was 76 in Foothill Ranch.
Its hot enough.. Hope there arent gonna be any fires.
The National Weather Service says that Orange County is likely to break heat records for a second straight day as a large dome of high pressure lingers over Southern California, and the afternoon sea breeze remains week. ( Weak)
“and the afternoon sea breeze remains week.”
I see the proof readers at the OCR are asleep again.
Hyrometer???
Thank God I have a pool !
Out of control! I just wish I didn’t have to go back to school next wk that way I’d be able to enjoy the end of the summer at the beach!
Well, here’s hoping that our building’s a/c will get overheated and burn out…then we’ll have to be sent home with pay, and I can meet up with eviltwin at his pool. On top of it, that will generate some funds for the a/c repair industry when the building has to pay them to come fix it! This heat is just a win-win!
Great. If you have a dollar left after the latest round of tax hikes (besides a doubling of the car tax and hike in sales tax in February, state withholding just went up, costing the average family another $140 a year in income taxes), you can fry it on the sidewalk.
I guess I have to turn the A/C back on. I turned it off when I got a $350 electric bill for July. But last night I could not sleep at all, kept waking up due to heat even with the overhead fan!
Well you might consider getting a newer ac system that is more energy efficent if yours is older.
My Dad’s house in MV had a bill of 50 something for July and it was vacant with the blinds removed so the sun really poured into the kitchen and West facing windows. And i had it on timer so it was cool. Also wasn’t there so couldn’t turn it off and open the windows at night like we usually did.
I guess I’d better head over there soon and then the pool will feel good.
but headed to the desert over the weekend where its supposed to be 112 F, 111 Sat, and about 109 Sun. At least that was the forcast a couple of days ago. Oh and the lows are supposed to be 83. But we’ll be indoors with ac and pool in the afternoon and hopefully won’t have to walk too far in that extreme heat.
Glad I’ll be away then since I don’t have ac, although so far with the house closed up it is comfortable.
pool party! my house!
We’re 5 degrees above where we were yesterday at this time (Tustin Ranch - 91 vs 86)
Yesterday we topped at 97. We bust 100 today.
I can cook my patties without even firing up the barbi…..
100.9* for the past hour on my porch in Lake Forest.
“She started the heat wave by letting her seat wave….
The temperature’s rising, It isn’t surprising.
She certainly can Can-can.”
Hang crown molding or the beach, hang crown molding or the beach?….The heck with it, where is the beach umbrella?
To the beach, young man. To the beach.
Yesterday, it was 99 here, and 76° at Newport Beach - on the beach.
Today, we hit 104°
101.1* in Lake Forest at 1:44PM ~
homeatlast: 101.1 in Lake Forest? So, the larger question is, where’s my margarita? If you’re going to tell me it’s hot, I want a margarita.
Will you settle for a Coors Original?
Hmmmm…I wonder if this Camp Pendleton fire is a ‘controlled burn’, or actual accidental fire?…. I guess it depends on what sgt you ask on base.
Bobbyc: It was not a controlled burn. The base says the fire has burned about 20 acres; doesn’t appear to be much more serious than that.
I am just saying… I just recall the last ‘fire’ at CP, was first reported as a ‘controlled burn’ by the base, and then as it got worse and out of control, it was reported later as ‘unknown’ (i.e. I don’t believe anything that CP reports anymore).
It’s 128* in Foothill Ranch right now…
as of 2pm it is 104.5 in Yorba Linda. Its too hot to go swimming!
Bunch of whiners you all are!
Hey Gary! It’s 109 here in Orange!
Bad idea to do fire training on such hot day at Pendleton.. I’m just assuming that’s what caused it.. who knows..
Noone in CA is allowed / permitted to conduct fire training or controlled burns unless the proper weather conditions are present. Not even the military.
“The 10 degree readings came in Silverado and Modjeska canyons. ”
109
I am going to the high desert anyway. I like hot and dry because I have a tree filled back yard soI run the misters into them so the wind blows cold air into the house. Cheap air conditioning.
Funny. It is hard to find swamp coolers in OC.
98 degrees in the sun here in Laguna Niguel, with a 10 MPH ocean breeze.
Not nearly as hot feeling as last month with 80 degrees in high humidity.
I guess there actually is a good use for those buildings where they store all those books - cooling centers!
A whole house fan is a great way to cut A/C costs. Turn it on at night when it’s under 75º and it cools house off FAST and uses a lot less power than a/c. Gives you more control than a/c over which rooms to cool as well. Home Depot sells., and power companies offer rebates. Ours cost us a grand total of $50 after rebates 2 yrs ago and has easily saved us hundred$ if not thousand$ in power.
Hey, just a short time ago, weren’t we listening to all those people griping about what a “mild” August we were having?
And Gary, will that ‘rita be salt or no salt?
Carnivore: The ‘rita will definitely be with salt. Thank you.
Sweet, the catfish will be out in force on Saturday! I get to fish in my bikini! *does a happy dance*
Thanks for posting the cooling shelters. This can be life-saving, seriously.
I’m glad I’ve got my A.C. (and right next to me).
Keep cool and safe, everybody.
i want the smoke here!!
I was driving home from the Angel game tonight and noticed a lot of smoke towards the Southwest. I was wondering where it was coming from. I couldn’t believe how hot it was at the angel game tonight! there was absolutely no breeze!