San Francisco – Temperatures made a barely noticeable dip on the 11th day of 100-degree heat Wednesday, but the stress on California’s electric grid eased slightly, as did the possibility of rolling blackouts.
The number of California deaths believed caused by the heat rose sharply, reaching 83 since the heat wave started July 16. The heat and increased power use blew out thousands of transformers. Farmers reported animals dying in the fields and fruit scorched on the vine.
Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses lost power at the peak, but just a few thousand remained in the dark Wednesday.
The coroner’s office in Fresno County, which has reported 20 deaths as probably heat-caused, had bodies stacked two to a gurney because there were so many. Coroner Loralee Cervantes said that her staff was doing autopsies nonstop.
Other states also attributed deaths to heat. Oklahoma said two people whose homes lacked air conditioners were the latest victims there, bringing to 10 the number of heat-related deaths in that state since July 13.
An achingly slow cooling trend will cause highs to drop a few degrees by the weekend in California, according to National Weather Service forecaster Jim Dudley.
“We’re seeing some relief coming, if you can call 105 relief,” he said.
