The first wildfire death of the 2024 season was reported Friday as California continues to grapple with scorching temperatures that are expected to continue into the weekend.
Human remains were found in a structure that burned Monday in the Mina fire near Covelo, Mendocino County officials confirmed. The body is still being identified by the coroner’s office but is believed to be a 66-year-old woman who was reported missing by her family.
The Mina fire first sparked Monday and has burned almost 100 acres, but is now 70% contained, according to Cal Fire.
The recent heat wave has taken a heavy human toll throughout the state.
In the Bay Area, the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner was investigating 19 potential heat-related deaths as of Friday, including four homeless people, one in transitional housing and 10 older adults over the age of 65 years old.
During July alone, the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Emergency Department treated 22 people who complained of heat illness, compared to 21 cases in all of June and 11 cases in May, according to an agency spokesperson.
So far, the 2024 wildfire season has resulted in more than 3,600 blazes that have burned more than 228,000 acres, damaging 148 structures, Cal Fire officials said. Several continued to burn Friday.
The Bluff fire erupted suddenly Friday about noon near Banning in Riverside County, burning 50 acres and prompting an evacuation warning. The fire was 20% contained as of Friday afternoon.
The blaze was first reported near Bluff Street and Mias Canyon Road, near the Banning Sportsman’s Club, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
Cal Fire issued an evacuation warning for north of Sunnyslope Cemetery, the entire Banning Bench area, west of Hathaway Canyon Road and east of Bluff Street, south of the Forest boundary.
The Vista fire had scorched 2,810 acres and was 13% contained as of Friday morning, according to Cal Fire. The blaze first ignited July 7 around 10 a.m. near Lytle Creek; evacuation orders were issued for the Mt. Baldy Ski Resort and the Pacific Crest Trail from Lytle Creek to Mt. Baldy.
The Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District warned about poor air quality in the Victor Valley area due to smoke from the Vista fire. The advisory is in effect through Sunday.
The Pauba fire was first reported Friday around 1:31 p.m. near State Route 79 and Pauba Road in Riverside County, Cal Fire said. The blaze has burned 102 acres as of Friday afternoon.
In Santa Barbara County, the Lake fire was 16% contained and scorched 36,707 acres as of Friday morning, according to Cal Fire.
Three recreational residences have been destroyed and an outbuilding and campground have been damaged, according to officials.
The heat wave that has scorched California for several days has only made fire conditions worse.
Excessive heat warnings are in effect until Saturday, with temperatures reaching between 90 to 100 degrees near the Lake Fire area, Cal Fire officials said. Firefighters are trying to create a buffer zone in parts of the fire and strengthen control lines.
For the Los Angeles area, thunderstorms over the weekend could raise the risk of igniting new wildfires.
Thunderstorms are expected to move in from the southeast Saturday afternoon and move over the mountains and deserts of Los Angeles County, the mountains of Ventura County and interior portions of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County, according to Joe Sirard, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. There’s a 10% chance of showers over the coasts and valleys of L.A. County.
Rainfall amounts will be highly localized and difficult to predict, depending on the location. Elevated fire conditions continue to be widespread across Southern California due to high temperatures. Sirard warned residents to avoid activities, such as campfires, that could ignite flying embers.
“Any lightning strikes tomorrow could spark new fires so that’s obviously a concern,” he added.
Temperatures are expected to be in the 80s to upper 90s in the valleys of Los Angeles County, the upper 90s to 103 in the lower-elevation mountains and between 100 and 112 degrees in Antelope Valley.
On Friday, temperatures reached 109 degrees in Lancaster, breaking its previous daily record of 108 degrees in 2021. Between July 2 and 11 was the hottest 10-day period on record for Palmdale and Lancaster, which started recording temperatures in the early 20th century.
Temperatures are forecast to cool off by Sunday and continue easing into next week, Sirard said.
Due to high temperatures in the Palm Springs area, California State Parks closed the Skyline Trail at Mount San Jacinto State Park. Hikers have been rescued during recent heat waves due to dehydration and heat exhaustion.