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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Lake County — and much of the rest of the state — is under an excessive heat watch due to a forecast of dangerously high temperatures, as high locally as 110 degrees — through the middle of next week.
Temperatures are expected to be highest on Sunday and Monday.
Because of the excessive heat in the forecast across much of the state and Western U.S., Cal ISO is expecting high electricity demand, primarily from air conditioning use, and is calling for voluntary conservation steps to help balance supply and demand.
Additional Flex Alerts are also possible through the Labor Day weekend as record-setting temperatures are forecast across much of the West, Cal ISO said.
In what’s likely to be the most extensive heat wave so far in the West this year, temperatures in Northern California are expected to be 10 to 20 degrees warmer than normal through Tuesday, Sept. 6.
In Southern California, temperatures are expected to be 10 to 18 degrees warmer than normal. Death Valley is currently forecast to peak at 126 degrees on Saturday, which would tie the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth in the month of September.
Wednesday’s Flex Alert is scheduled between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., when the grid is most stressed from higher demand and less solar energy.
During that time, consumers are urged to conserve power by setting thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits, avoiding use of major appliances and turning off unnecessary lights. They should also avoid charging electric vehicles while the Flex Alert is in effect.
To minimize discomfort and help with grid stability, consumers are also encouraged to precool their homes and use major appliances and charge electric vehicles and electronic devices before 4 p.m., when conservation begins to become most critical.
Reducing energy use during a Flex Alert can help stabilize the power grid during tight supply conditions and prevent further emergency measures, including rotating power outages.
For information on Flex Alerts, and to find more electricity conservation tips, visit https://flexalert.org/.
Flex Alert conservation actions
Before 4 p.m.:
• Precool home by setting the thermostat to as low as 72 degrees
• Use major appliances, including washers and dryers, dishwashers, and ovens and stoves for pre-cooking and preparing meals.
• Charge electric vehicles.
• Adjust blinds and drapes to cover windows.
From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.:
• Set thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits.
• Avoid using major appliances and charging electric vehicles.
• Turn off all unnecessary lights.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Three structures were burned in a Tuesday afternoon fire in the Kelseyville area.
A structure fire with occupants reported to be trapped was dispatched in the 4100 block of Montezuma Way shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Firefighters responding to the scene reported seeing heavy black smoke.
When they arrived, they found one structure involved. A short time later, two other buildings were reported to be on fire, with 10 others threatened, according to radio traffic.
The California Highway Patrol responded to the scene to close Soda Bay Road at Montezuma Way while fire suppression efforts were underway.
By 4:45 p.m., firefighters had knocked down the fire in two of the buildings and continued to work to stop the third.
Radio traffic indicated there was at least one one of the structures was a home and another was a garage.
Shortly after 5 p.m., a medic unit was requested to come to the incident command post for a civilian with burns.
Incident command reported at about 6:40 p.m. that there was a new incident just down the street.
That incident, dubbed the Bay fire, was reported to be a slash pile, measuring about 100 feet by 80 feet, that had caught fire.
Several units from the scene on Montezuma were diverted to the second incident. Firefighters had stopped the forward rate of spread by 7 p.m.
The Bay fire incident was terminated at around 8 p.m., with firefighters to check it on Wednesday morning.
There was no word on Tuesday of the causes of the fires.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The National Weather Service’s long-range forecast said an “expansive area of anomalous heat will become centered over the Central Valley of California by Saturday afternoon, with peripheral areas such as Trinity, Lake, and eastern Mendocino Counties experiencing hot temperatures as well.”
The heat watch for Lake County warns of “dangerously hot conditions” from Saturday afternoon through Tuesday evening, with temperatures as high as 110 degrees expected.
While Lake County will be hot, much of the rest of Northern California, particularly the Sacramento Valley, could see temperatures as high as 114 degrees, the National Weather Service reported.
Around Lake County, Sunday and Monday are forecast to be the hottest days, with temperatures supposed to top out at around 109 degrees in Middletown those days. Other areas of Lake County will hover close to 105 degrees during that time frame.
Nighttime conditions through Tuesday are expected to drop into the low 60s.
The hot, dry temperatures will be accompanied by low relative humidity. Those conditions, coupled with the potential for winds, also are raising concerns for fire weather conditions during that time, the forecast said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: OFFICE OF SEN. BILL DODD
“This is a critical step toward protecting the legitimacy of our free election process and preventing extreme partisanship from denying the will of the voters,” Sen. Dodd said. “We must ensure our chosen electors uphold their responsibilities and do not go rogue, threatening the underpinnings of our democracy. I thank the governor for signing this needed legislation.”
“Free and fair elections are the very foundation of our democracy — and the will of the voters must be respected,” U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla said. “No one should be able to subvert the outcome of our elections. As California’s former top elections official, I know the importance of clear laws and rules to protect the democratic process. That’s why I support this legislation as an important safeguard on presidential elections in California.”
“American democracy is not self-effectuating – it requires constant vigilance by our citizens and our representatives, from the corridors of our state capitols to the halls of Congress. We must shore up our democratic institutions along its fault lines, especially those that have been exposed over the past few years,” said U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank. “Senate Bill 103 is vital to safeguarding the integrity of our elections and the will of California voters for generations to come. I applaud state Sen. Bill Dodd for championing this legislation, and Gov. Newsom for signing it into law.”
Sen. Dodd introduced Senate Bill 103 amid increased national attention on the manipulation of the Electoral College system following the 2020 presidential election.
Although President Joe Biden was the clear winner over President Trump, some groups in other states suggested electors might ignore the outcome and ratify Trump instead.
While 33 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring electors to uphold their voting pledges, many do not have any enforcement mechanism and a majority have no way to make sure electors faithfully comply.
Sen. Dodd’s legislation governing California’s 55 electors would void their vote if they cast ballots for a candidate who did not win the majority of support in the state.
The faithless elector would be immediately replaced by a new elector who would cast a ballot for the winning candidate.
SB 103, sponsored by the bipartisan California Commission on Uniform State Laws, was signed by the governor late Monday. It has broad support at the state and national level.
Dodd formerly represented Lake County in the State Assembly and now represents California’s 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Yolo, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties.