Sizzling Heat Prompts Alerts, Beefed-Up Firefighting Forces

Scorching temperatures across the San Fernando Valley and northern Los Angeles County hovered near and above record highs Saturday, prompting firefighters to stand by on high alert and beef up forces in areas prone to brush fires.

In Woodland Hills, the record high for the date of 105 degrees, set in 1992, was shattered as the mercury rose to 106.

Chatsworth roasted at 105 degrees, while Lancaster baked at 106 degrees--each temperature coming within one degree of record highs in those communities, according to Alan Shoemaker, a Weather Central Inc. meteorologist. Other cities breathed a tad easier, with Burbank hitting 96 degrees and West Covina reaching 98 degrees.

Residents in all those areas can expect temperatures to remain high for the next two days, with a slight cooling the rest of the week, said Bill Hoffer, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

Because of the hot, dry weather, the Los Angeles County Fire Department scheduled 75 more firefighters, two additional water-dropping helicopters and 10 extra engines to be available, officials said.

Five of those engines were sent to the Las Virgenes-Malibu area and five to Santa Clarita.

“Those areas are very difficult to get resources to when there’s a fire. Freeways get jammed,” said Capt. Brian Jordan, spokesman for the department.

Extra personnel were also stationed in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

If temperatures increase through the weekend, more firefighters may be called to duty, Jordan said.

Other county residents enjoyed a cooler summer day.

Downtown Los Angeles reached 83 degrees, well below its record high of 99 degrees set in 1882.

The high at Los Angeles International Airport was 70 degrees.

Coastal cities can expect highs in the 60s and 70s through the week, Hoffer said.