California extends flex alert as power grid is strained by heat wave and wildfires burn
LOS ANGELES — Faced with a record-setting heat wave sweltering California and fueling two major fires, officials extended a flex alert calling for voluntary energy conservation through Friday, hoping to prevent rolling blackouts.
During a flex alert, consumers are urged to reduce their electricity use from 4 to 9 p.m., when the grid is most stressed because of high demand and less available energy from solar panels.
Flex alerts were also issued Wednesday and Thursday. The heat wave is expected to extend well into next week.
The move comes as firefighters began to make progress on a large fire burning in northern L.A. County.
Officials took the unusual step Thursday of pulling back some of the firefighters on the front lines of the Route fire burning along the Grapevine after several crew members suffered heat-related illness.
