Photos: Summer heat arrives in the Southland

Los Angeles city fire engineer David Wehner endures the heat Saturday as crews mop up after an industrial fire temporarily shut down Metro Blue Line service at Long Beach Boulevard and East 24th Street near downtown Los Angeles.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Spectators find different ways of relaxing their legs as they watch a volleyball match Saturday during the 2010 AVP Nivea Tour in Hermosa Beach.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

An early morning rainbow breaks through the cloud cover Friday at the AVP Hermosa Beach Open volleyball tournament being held this weekend.
See full story  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Heather Evans, 30, of San Diego goes up for the ball Friday at the AVP Hermosa Beach Open volleyball tournament being held this weekend.
See full story  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Jennifer Sharp of Los Angeles returns the ball during an early morning match Friday at the AVP Hermosa Beach Open volleyball tournament being held this weekend.
See full story  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Hermosa Beach Junior Lifeguards gather together after a run-swim exercise Friday morning.
See full story  (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Amid a hot day, a hydro-slide rider lets out a scream Friday as she takes a cool plunge in the water on opening day at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa. This year’s theme is “The Beat Goes On,” honoring the fair’s 120th year.
See full story  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Fairgoers ride the Techno Jump ride Friday on opening day at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa.
See full story  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Jamen Carr, 16, of Santa Ana, upper left, and Athena Machado, 16, of Aliso Viejo share a kiss Friday while riding the Sky Ride high over the crowds on opening day at the Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa.
See full story  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Lettie Arias said it was too hot in her home in East Los Angeles, so she packed up her 2-year-old grandson, Eli Arias, and cooled off Friday in the fountain at the East L.A. Civic Center.
See full story  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Mike Fletcher watches a lightning storm Thursday over the Aguanga General Store on California 79 south of Temecula. The lightning bolt started a small fire in the brush next to a house about a mile from the store.
See full story  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

A firefighter from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection lugs a hose up a smoldering embankment above a house on California 79 in Aguanga, where a fire was started Thursday by a lightning strike.
See full story  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Crowds gather Thursday at the Seal Beach Pier. Inland areas of Southern California faced sweltering heat, and forecasters said triple-digit temperatures may combine with monsoonal humidity to reach dangerous heat thresholds.
See full story  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Dromedary camels at the Living Desert Museum in Palm Desert nibble on ice cubes placed in their enclosure by animal keepers to help them cool down Thursday. At 2 p.m., the temperature reached 117.7 degrees in the enclosure.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Louis Ponce, 8, heads in from surfing Thursday in Seal Beach.
See full story  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Stefanie Pacheco, 7, left, Julianna Cruz, 7, and Esmeralda Pacheco, 5, cool off in the sprinklers Thursday at William S. Hart Park in Santa Clarita.
See full story  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Temperatures hit triple digits Thursday in Santa Clarita.
See full story  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Joel Rivas, 23, splashes water on his face Thursday as he works laying cable for AT&T in sweltering heat in Pasadena.
See full story  (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

A youngster enjoys the surf Thursday at Santa Monica State Beach.
See full story  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Don Fortner,18, takes a little nap Thursday in the sun at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles. With temperatures expected to top 100 degrees, some city residents are taking refuge in cool places such as Pershing Square, where a patch of grass and a splash from a fountain can work wonders for beating the heat.
See full story  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Jonathan Sotelo, 11, of Santa Ana seeks refuge from the heat Wednesday in the shade while splashing about in a cool pond at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley.
See full story  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Noel Kinane, left, Thomas Foley, center, and Keith Farry work in the heat Wednesday to build a television tower for this weekend’s Hermosa Beach Open volleyball tournament.
See full story  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

James Ka, 28, returns a shot Wednesday while playing in a two-on-two volleyball match in Hermosa Beach.
See full story  (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Molly Irbin, 8, spends time in the shade Wednesday with dogs at Whitnall Dog Park in North Hollywood. Southern California’s first significant heat wave of the year is expected to intensify in Los Angeles and Orange counties, with peak temperatures forecast to begin Thursday and Friday.
See full story  (Katie Falkenberg / For The Times)

Shane Matsunae, 8, enjoys a cool spray of water Wednesday amid high temperatures while practicing archery at the annual Cub Scout Day Camp at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley. The weeklong camp includes archery, fishing, games, geography, leathercraft, science, skits and woodcraft.
See full story  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Ariany Rodriguez, 8, of Anaheim, left, and her brother, Esteban, 9, frolic in the water Wednesday at Lemon Park Spray Pool in Fullerton.
See full story  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

After many weeks of June gloom, beachgoers and windsurfer Ed Nelson of San Juan Capistrano enjoy a warm, sunny day Wednesday at San Onofre State Beach.
See full story  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)