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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Employers should also review their heat illness prevention programs and remind employees of the importance of protecting themselves.
“Though this summer has been unusually mild, temperatures in many areas of the state are predicted to rise over 100 degrees this week, and everyone should take proper precautions to avoid heat-related illness,” said Schwarzenegger. “With just a few simple steps, such as drinking an adequate amount of water, staying indoors during the hottest times of the day and pacing yourself when outside, we can all keep cool and safely enjoy the outdoors during hot weather.”
The National Weather Service has forecast above-normal temperatures affecting the state through Thursday, with the highest temperatures expected in the Central and Southern California valleys on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“Though we’ve had lower temperatures recently, we cannot forget that it is summer in California and we must be prepared for hot weather,” said California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) Secretary Matthew Bettenhausen. “Taking time to review and update family emergency plans, restock emergency supply kits and drinking water supplies, learn first aid and CPR, are ways we can all reduce our risk and create a cooler environment to beat the heat.”
Because drinking fluids is essential to avoiding heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses, officials strongly suggested that Californians include plenty of drinking water in their emergency supply kits.
Officials also recommend Californians consider the needs of family members and neighbors, who are elderly, have physical impairments and other unique needs.
“Infants, small children, the elderly, people with illnesses and those who are taking certain medications could be at additional risk to heat-related illnesses,” noted California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Mark Horton. “If it hasn’t been done yet, now is the time to obtain extra medications and food, and to arrange for someone to check on those who are living alone or have special needs.”
Employers are also asked to take appropriate precautions.
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigations show that in 30 percent of cases in which suspected heat illness occurred, the employer did not have a heat illness prevention program. Heat illness is preventable. Preventing heat illness protects your workers and is good business. Health and safety problems and other health problems like heart attacks and falls may result from heat illness at the workplace.
In preparation for this week’s temperature increase, the following actions have been taken:
Cal EMA continues to conduct daily weather conference calls with the National Weather Service, state agencies, local responding agencies and private partners to coordinate response efforts;
State and local agencies continue monitoring the weather situation and providing updated information to employers and the public.
For summer heat resources, please visit Cal EMA at www.calema.ca.gov.
Additional health tips can be found on the California Department of Public Health Web site at www.cdph.ca.gov.
Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
STORY UPDATED AT 6:45 P.M.
INDIAN VALLEY RESERVOIR, Calif. – State and local firefighters responded on Tuesday afternoon to a wildland fire in a remote region of Lake County.
Cal Fire spokesperson Daniel Berlant said the fire was located at the north end of Indian Valley Reservoir.
Initially reported at about 3:30 p.m., the fast-growing blaze had reached between 75 and 100 acres around an hour later, according to Berlant.
Reports from the scene noted the fire had a moderate rate of spread with the potential to burn several hundred acres. A structure was said to be threatened.
By 5:30 p.m., the fire had grown again, to 250 acres, according to Suzie Blankenship, another Cal Fire spokesperson monitoring the fire locally.
Blankenship said shortly before 6:45 p.m. that the fire had reached 600 acres, with the size partly attributed to a firing operation that was being used to fight the blaze. At that time it was 10-percent contained.
“They're making good progress,” Blankenship said.
Several air tankers and helicopters, along with bulldozers, engines and firefighters from Cal Fire were dispatched, according to radio reports. Northshore Fire resources also were being dispatched.
Blankenship said she did not have specifics on the resources at the scene immediately available.
“They're ordering up equipment for tomorrow's day shift right now,” she said.
Blankenship said winds were 5 miles per hour coming from the northeast, with the temperature at 96 degrees with 22-percent humidity.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
After an unseasonably cool and pleasant weekend, temperatures climbed back in to the high-90s on Monday, with areas in Middletown and Kelseyville reaching the century mark, according to the Western Weather Group.
Tuesday and Wednesday should be even hotter, according to the National Weather Service, as temperatures around Lake County are forecast to reach into the 100s.
Overnight Tuesday, the thermometer will only dip to the mid- and upper-60s, the National Weather Service predicted.
On Wednesday, daytime highs will cool by a few degrees, but still will hover near 100 degrees due to the continuing high-pressure system, forecasters said.
The National Weather Service said that daytime high temperatures will begin to decrease on Thursday. At that point, daytime temperatures will return to the average highs in the lower 90s, according to the Old Farmers' Almanac, and the cooling trend continues through the end of the week.
Overnight lows also will trend downward, forecasters said, with lows in the mid-50s expected on Friday morning.
For up-to-the-minute weather information, please visit the Lake County News homepage.
E-mail Terre Logsdon at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The Lake County International Charter School (LCICS) is in the midst of transitioning its holdings into a central school facility in the Langtry House, located at 15850 Armstrong Street in Middletown, one block south of Highway 29 in the downtown area.
The school will offer full-day kindergarten through sixth grade instruction in the 2010-11 school year, along with creative arts and Spanish.
Previously, it offered seventh and eighth grade instruction, but school officials reported that demand for those classes wasn't high enough to continue offering those grades.
The charter school's staff and team are working with longtime Sonoma County principal Ceasar Camarillo to coordinate the changes and school opening.
“With school starting on Aug. 30, the staff and families are very excited,” said Camarillo. “Registration is happening every day for all grade levels. It’s great to see so many families coming by to help out the teachers before school starts.”
According to the California Department of Education, the school’s 2009-10 Base Academic Performance Index (API) scores for the school is currently 832, an increase of over 90 index points over the previous year.
“It’s one of the many reasons my children are attending here,” said Kathleen Noble, a school parent. “We’ve been here for four years and my children are doing great at LCICS.”
LCICS is a free public charter school, but is also an authorized IB (International Baccalaureate) World School, offering its Primary Years Program (PYP) to all K-6th students in Lake County.
“This program presents a unique educational option for our families,” said Charter Council member Gwendolyn Maupin-Ahern, whose own children attend the school.
“The IB program is not an off-the-shelf curriculum,” she explained. “Essentially, the core learning standards are intertwined inside project-based thematic units. Both teacher- and student-generated questions drive inquiry that motivates the students to be critical thinkers. So, in the end, the students learn much more than the basics. And because they participated in developing the learning projects, they stay focused and interested. ”
LCICS will host an open house from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, for all current parents as well as the whole community.
The open house will feature teaching demonstrations, music, art, Zumba for kids, healthy lunch demos, food and more. The community is invited to join the school for the event.
For more information, please call the school at 707-987-3063 or visit the school online at www.lcics.org.
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