California grapples with another day of deadly fires and record-breaking heat
Multiple wildfires are burning across California as firefighters are also contending with brutal heat. More than 58 million people are under excessive heat warnings and advisories in seven states, including almost all of California.
It's what firefighters fear the most: Record-setting heat, parched land, and wildfires exploding in size. The Fairview Fire raced down a canyon in Riverside County, just southeast of Los Angeles. The community only has one road in our out, and the blaze moved too fast for everyone to escape.
Two people died, Cal Fire Division Chief Josh Janssen told CBS News. He believes the people were attempting to flee the area before they were overcome by the flames.
"It was a disaster," Cal Fire captain Richard Cordova told CBS News, noting the canyon hasn't burned in years.
The cause of the Fairview Fire is still not known. However, the utility provider Southern California Edison said its equipment might have played a role. The investigation is ongoing.
"Once it got to where the homes were at, the fire was already moving like a freight train," he added. Another fire near the Oregon border left a neighborhood in ruins.
Meanwhile, California is enduring its worst and longest heatwave in years. On Monday, the San Francisco Bay Area hit an all time high of 117 degrees.
The heat is straining the power grid to the breaking point.
"We need two to three times as much conservation as we've been experiencing to keep the power on," said Elliot Manzer, the president of the California Independent System Operator.
And the heat is more than just an inconvenience. Last year, more Americans died from extreme heat than from any other weather hazard, including floods, tornadoes, hurricanes or extreme cold.
There's little relief in sight, as California is just now entering what is normally the worst part of its fire season. California's governor is warning residents not to let their guard down, and that the threat of power outages is real and immediate.