After battling blazes in triple-digit temperatures over the weekend in the eastern Los Angeles area, the FOX Forecast Center forecasts a brief and minor ease in heat for firefighters, but it won’t be long before Southern California is right back to the heat it experienced over the weekend.
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Downtown Los Angeles dropped from the low 90s over the weekend to the mid-80s for the middle of the week. All Excessive Heat Warnings and heat advisories for Los Angeles were canceled Tuesday as temperatures cooled below critical thresholds, according to the National Weather Service in Los Angeles.
However, the heat continues to scorch many areas farther inland, away from the cooling ocean breeze, where firefighters are working to contain multiple wildfires. Temperatures in the eastern valleys Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to drop a few degrees – though still reach around 100 degrees, before climbing back toward 105 later this week.
The NWS says it expects to issue more heat advisories beginning Friday as another round of heat is expected into the weekend.
Further east, Excessive Heat Warnings remain in place through Saturday night for Riverside, Barstow and Palm Springs – adding to the millions across the southern tier of the US under heat advisories throughout the Southwest and Florida.
Over the weekend, at least four wildfires started in Southern California over the span of several hours, consuming more than 3,000 acres as temperatures there ranged from 100-105 degrees.
On Tuesday, the containment of several fires was promising, even with 100-degree high temperatures still forecast in Riverside and Beaumont, California.
Multiple fires continue to burn in Riverside County, according to CALFire, including the Rabbit Fire which has burned 8,283 acres. The fire started July 14 in Moreno Valley and is now 45% contained with over 1,500 firefighting personnel battling the blaze.
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The Gavilan Fire in Lake Mathews is 65% contained after burning nearly 340 acres and the Reche Fire is almost completely contained after burning more than 430 acres this weekend.
Multiple communities were forced to evacuate or place under evacuation warnings.
The fires were fueled by dry and warm conditions as most of California has been under heat advisories and Excessive Heat Warnings over the past week. Several decades-old temperature records fell over the weekend, including at Lancaster Airport with 110 degrees, toppling the 109-degree record set in 1960.