FIRE: Normal temperature for summers is low to mid-90s

uptick in calls for heatrelated illnesses. Vogelsang said the heat complicates pre-existing conditions in many of the calls they’ve received since the heat wave began Sunday.

“We’ve run our normal amount of medical calls. Some of the calls you can attribute to heat; some of them you can’t,” he said.

The MFD doesn’t directly track heat-related illnesses, but Vogelsang said he estimated about 15 percent of calls are due to the heat wave.

Daley said his firefighters have responded to heatrelated illnesses caused by dehydration.

“People know it’s hot, but they feel they’re healthy enough,” he said.

The emergency room at Rideout Memorial Hospital typically sees between five to 20 people with heat-related illnesses per summer, said Dr. Derek Orchard. About two cases per year are heat stroke, the most serious of the illnesses.

“We hope to see them on the lower spectrum where they have minimum symptoms,” Orchard said. “When they get to most severe heat stroke. it definitely carries a high mortality rate.”

He said the young and elderly are the most at risk because their bodies have difficulties regulating core temperatures.

“Drink plenty of liquids, cool water,” Orchard said.

Two people have been admitted into the emergency room with heatrelated illnesses since Sunday, Orchard said.

The north wind and unmoving high pressure system will keep temperatures at 100-plus degrees until Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Hannah Chandler, a meteorologist with the Sacramento office, said a weak low-pressure system will finally bring temperatures back to normal for the Yuba-Sutter area.

“We’re going to be warm for just a couple more days now,” Chandler said. “We definitely get more of these high pressure systems in the summer and when the low pressure systems come through there isn’t enough moisture in the air for us to get much rain.”

She said the norm for summers in Yuba-Sutter are temperatures in low to mid-90s.

“The northern winds are definitely playing a role in keeping those temperatures a lot warmer,” she said.

Residents have lost power in the Yuba-Sutter area, but not because of the heat, according to Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

Paul Moreno, PG&E spokesman, said 775 people in Yuba County lost power after a driver struck a utility pole near Linda; and downed power lines near East Nicolaus.

Moreno said PG&E expected to break a 2006 record for energy demands with a projected 22,700 megawatts needed across the state. One megawatt from a power plant powers about 700 homes, he said. Average summer energy consumption from 2013-16 ranged from about 15,500-17,500 megawatts.

“Throughout the day, the megawatt load and demand increases,” Moreno said. “During hot weather, people use more electricity, and we have to meet that demand.”