How to stay safe and cool amid triple-digit temps

Prolonged and potentially dangerous weather is expected over the weekend.

- BY KAREN GARCIA

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA residents are advised to keep an eye on people and pets around them.

The biggest heat wave of the year has arrived in Southern California and is expected to roast the region with triple-digit temperatures in some areas, prompting heat advisories and health concerns for vulnerable populations.

Red flag warnings are in effect through the weekend for Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties' mountain and foothills, and much of the region is under an extreme heat warning into the weekend as forecasters project temperatures to steadily climb, possibly reaching up to 110 degrees far inland.

Extreme heat can result in heat-related illnesses and, if left untreated, can lead to death.

A 2021 investigation into heat-related deaths by The Times found that between 2010 and 2019, California's official data from death certificates attributed 599 deaths to heat exposure. However, an analysis found that the true toll was six times higher than previously estimated.

Here's how you can stay cool and avoid heat-related illnesses through the summer.

Determining how heat affects you

Hot weather can be uncomfortable for everyone but a mixture of high temperatures with sun exposure, stagnant air and high humidity can cause health concerns for some groups of people, according to the National Integrated Heat Health Information System.