As California braces for a scorching heatwave, Governor Gavin Newsom has directed the state agencies to scale up their response to the impending extreme weather conditions. Among the key measures to help Californians cope with the heat is the deployment of the new CalHeatScore tool—an early warning system that allows residents to check the heat risk for their local area in real-time. With temperatures set to skyrocket across much of the state, the system has already rated many areas with a level 4 CalHeatScore, indicating a severe threat to health from extreme heat, as reported by the Governor's Office.
The state has entered Phase 2 of its extreme temperature response plan, which includes better coordination between local and state resources. Newsom has also emphasized the opening of cooling centers, which serve as a refuge for those most susceptible to heat's unforgiving grip. "With several days of extreme temperatures in the forecast for much of California, we’re taking action now to deploy resources throughout the state. And with our new CalHeatScore tool, all Californians can assess the risk to their health down to their zip code in real-time," Newsom stated in a press release from his office.
CalHeatScore, developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), provides daily heat scores ranging from 0 to 4 for every ZIP code in the state. These scores convey the potential risks of heat-related illnesses, aiming to encourage preparatory actions among individuals and communities. The tool also offers practical resources, like cooling center locations, to better equip Californians for the soaring temperatures.
The Governor's office has taken additional steps to ensure that the high-heat advisory reaches a broad audience, including reminders to employers in Redding, Sacramento, Stockton, Pleasanton, Modesto, Fresno, Bakersfield, Palmdale, Imperial, and Coachella to protect their workers as temperatures are forecast to peak at around 113°F. "Cal/OSHA’s Enforcement Branch conducted 219 targeted high-heat inspection sweeps in agriculture, construction, and other outdoor industries to protect vulnerable workers," according to the Governor's Office.
Residents are advised to stay alert and prepared, not only by keeping abreast of the temperatures via CalHeatScore but also by formulating a concrete wildfire action plan and signing up for local emergency alerts, as detailed in the Governor's Office statement.
