California Wildfires: 4 dead, several injured, record high temperatures, energy demand to a record

 

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 1. Four people were killed in California wildfires over Labor Day weekend, officials said, amid record-breaking temperatures expected to drive historic power demands across the state Tuesday.

Over 4,000 firefighters are battling 14 large fires around the state, and 45 new fires erupted on Sunday alone, said Anale Burlew, a deputy chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Two people died in a rapidly-spreading wildfire in Southern California on Monday, Cal Fire officials said, and two others were killed in a Northern California blaze that has ripped through a small town.
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2. California’s power grid is facing a major stress test on Tuesday, as a historic heatwave enters its most brutal phase. With temperatures in parts of the state forecasted to hit 115F (46C), officials are asking residents to prepare for possible rolling blackouts as the heatwave reaches a boiling point.

Officials said controlled power interruptions “can help maintain reliability and avoid cascading blackouts”, as people across the state crank up their air conditioners amid scorching temperatures, California’s grid operator warned.