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Two sprawling wildfires tore through at least 4,500 acres in the San Gabriel Mountains on Monday, and only a canyon prevented the blazes from merging into one massive inferno, fire officials said.

The two brush fires broke out in Azusa and Duarte amid a blistering heat wave, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of homes and at least 750 residents. The first blaze, called the Reservoir fire, was reported about 11 a.m. at Highway 39 in the San Gabriel Mountains, said Andrew Mitchell, spokesman for the Angeles National Forest.

Sweltering temperatures across Southern California prompted calls Monday for electricity customers to reduce their energy use to help reduce strain on a system already weakened by the absence of the troubled Aliso Canyon natural gas storage plant.

Utility companies urged their residential customers to voluntarily delay washing clothes and dishes until bedtime and to keep their thermostats at 78 degrees or higher. In addition, the power companies asked business customers to voluntarily suspend unnecessary daytime operations such as production line work until nightfall.

 

Every so often someone walks into the Palm Springs Visitors Center raring to burn through hiking trails like they’re British adventurer and TV personality Bear Grylls.

For those people, Ceej Juarez, who provides information about hiking trails in the Agua Caliente Indian reservation, has to be a voice of reason.  And that is never as important a job as it was on Monday, when a torrid heat wave sent temperatures to 122 degrees in the resort city by early afternoon.

 

High temperatures are expected to continue Sunday as Southern California’s heat wave intensifies, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters say the weather system that has been building over Southern California is strengthening and will cause temperatures to keep climbing higher. Temperatures are predicted to be in the low to mid-80s at the beaches and in the 90s to 100s inland. Cooling centers have opened up throughout the Southland for those needing refuge from the heat.

Southern Californians are being praised for their water conservation during the ongoing drought. As a result, there are sufficient water supplies to get through the next three years.

The Metropolitan Water District’s ‘stress test’ means it will not be forced into mandatory conservation.