An excessive heat warning from the Los Angeles County Public Health Department was released Thursday afternoon, urging residents to stay hydrated and to prepare for power outages.
The news release warned nine different areas of the county, including the Santa Clarita Valley, about the extremely high temperatures, which are expected to start Friday and continue through next Wednesday.
Meteorologist Jerald Meadows, of the National Weather Service, said temperatures are expected to range between 105 and 110 degrees, depending on the location.
“We want to really stress that this is a major, very extreme heat event for pretty much anybody, so we want to encourage folks to stay indoors as much as possible,” Meadows said in an interview Thursday.
Meadows also said that because temperatures are not expected to go down by a lot during the evening, people might not have as much time to recover from the heat.
L.A. County Health Officer Muntu Davis said in the news release that it is important to also check up on people who may be more at risk for heat-related illness.
“Hot days aren’t just uncomfortable, they can be dangerous,” Davis said. “Although it’s crucial that we take care of ourselves, it’s equally important that we extend our hand to those in need. We must look out for those who are more likely to get ill due to the heat, including the elderly, unwell, pregnant women, children and those living alone.”
For people looking to stay cool in the heat, L.A. County has also set up cooling centers that will be open to the public. Locations can be found on the Ready L.A. County website or by calling 211.
The city of Santa Clarita offers the following library branches as cooling centers:
• Canyon Country Jo Anne Darcy Branch: 18601 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita.
• Old Town Newhall Branch: 24500 Main St., Newhall.
• Valencia Branch: 23743 W. Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita.
The city’s ice rink, The Cube, is typically a place where people can cool down, but it is temporarily closed for maintenance, through July 28.
