California mobilizes to protect communities as summer heat builds across the West

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Jul 31, 2026

California mobilizes to protect communities as summer heat builds across the West

Visit Ready.ca.gov to learn how to stay safe from heat-related illness

What you need to know: California is mobilizing resources to help protect Californians from extreme heat and wildfire risk, as climate change drives longer, more intense fire seasons across the West. Fire crews and equipment have been prepositioned in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kings, El Dorado, Fresno, Riverside, and Tulare counties ahead of elevated fire weather conditions forecast for July 31 through August 3. Para leer este comunicado en español, haga clic aquí.

SACRAMENTO – Ahead of extreme heat and elevated fire risk across the state, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the mobilization of resources and encouraged all Californians to take steps to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

State agencies are working closely with local emergency managers, public health officials, utilities, and weather partners to monitor conditions and coordinate resources as needed.

The state developed a county-by-county hub of existing cooling centers and is prepositioning fire engines, crews, and aircraft in high-risk areas.

California knows how to prepare for heat, and we're asking everyone to do their part to stay safe. Extreme heat is a serious public health risk, especially for our seniors, young children, and outdoor workers, and it also increases the risk of wildfires. Take it seriously, check on your loved ones, and know what to do if you need help.

Governor Gavin Newsom

This mobilization builds on the Governor's announcement at McClellan Air Park last week, where he unveiled the state's next generation of wildfire-fighting technology, from AI-guided drones to satellites that spot blazes from space. Climate change is raising risks across the nation and the globe. So far this year, climate disasters have caused at least $31.9 billion in damages and at least 183 fatalities, according to Climate Central. This week, climate scientists found that global warming made the fire weather behind this month's record wildfires in Spain and France dramatically more likely, and Canadian wildfire smoke has impacted the air quality of more than 100 million Americans this summer.

Public safety and emergency response

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) State Operations Center is operating at an enhanced watch, with 40 staff dedicated to coordinating statewide response efforts as temperatures climb.

Working alongside local fire officials, Cal OES has moved additional firefighting resources into Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Kings, El Dorado, Fresno, Riverside, and Tulare counties. These pre-deployed resources include 30 fire engines, four dozers, two helicopters, and approximately 230 personnel. These efforts ensure resources are available when seconds count, helping emergency personnel respond more quickly to small fires before they become major incidents.

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Through the Ready California campaign, California is delivering heat safety messages statewide in Spanish, English, and 15 other languages.

Cal OES and state agencies are working with partners across the state to share critical, life-saving information to frontline communities, including information on cooling centers and heat-illness prevention.

Combating wildfires

Over the past month, CAL FIRE provided support to four states — Texas, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington — through various compacts and mutual‑aid agreements. Our response to help our neighbors in need included engines, dozers, overhead personnel, and an elite firefighting team, totaling over 200 personnel.

In addition to assisting our partners out of state, CAL FIRE responded to more than 1,200 wildfires across California during this period, keeping 90% of fires under 10 acres.

This month, CAL FIRE expanded the state's wildfire detection capabilities with the deployment of six new ALERTCalifornia cameras in Central California. With more than 1,200 cameras across the state, CAL FIRE dispatchers, aided by artificial intelligence, have a powerful tool to identify potential fires as quickly as possible.

Other state agency partners also lend support during wildfire response. The California National Guard, through Task Force Rattlesnake, which are specialized Type I hand crews under CAL FIRE leadership, are an increasingly vital force multiplier as climate-driven wildfire risks intensify. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, also under CAL FIRE command, has deployed nearly 50 hand crews to fight fires within the state.

In addition to CAL FIRE efforts, the California Conservation Corps is managing 10 fire crews working firelines and another 10 staffing and staging to respond at a moment's notice. Three resource crews are supporting wildfire base camps across the state, totaling 349 staff and Corpsmembers, with four camp support crews currently deployed in Colorado and Washington.

State beaches and water safety

Offshore storm activity is driving large swells on California's coast, with swells up to 11 feet anticipated in parts of southern California. The state urges Californians and visitors to practice caution. State Parks employs approximately 600 seasonal lifeguards each summer, and around 70 permanent lifeguards.

On average, State Park lifeguards make 1 million preventative actions and 10,000 rescues every year. Since July 1, 2026, lifeguards have performed 110,000 preventative actions, 3,600 rescues, and over 1,600 medical aids. Visit California State Parks' swimming safety tips web page to learn how to stay safe.

Protecting your health during extreme heat

To stay safe during extreme heat, the state is encouraging Californians to:

• 🌡️ Check local heat conditions using CalHeatScore (https://calheatscore.calepa.ca.gov/), California's ZIP code-based heat warning tool.
• ❄️ Locate nearby cooling centers (https://www.news.caloes.ca.gov/cooling-centers-and-resources-4/) if they do not have access to air conditioning.
• 💧Stay hydrated and avoid strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest parts of the day.
• 🏡 Check on older adults, children, outdoor workers, and others most vulnerable to heat-related illness.
• 📱 Follow guidance from local officials and the National Weather Service (https://www.weather.gov/).
• 🚨 Sign up for emergency alerts (https://www.listoscalifornia.org/alerts/) from officials in your area.

Employers with outdoor or indoor workers in hot conditions must follow Cal/OSHA's heat illness prevention requirements (https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/heatillnessinfo.html), including providing access to water, shade, and rest breaks.

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Heat-related illness is preventable, but it can turn serious quickly, particularly for older adults, young children, people with chronic health conditions, pregnant women, outdoor workers, and those who are socially isolated.

Hotter, drier weather also raises wildfire danger

As red flag warnings become more common across parts of the state, Cal OES and CAL FIRE are reminding Californians that roughly 95% of wildfires are caused by human activity, and that simple precautions can prevent a spark from becoming a wildfire.

As part of the state's One Less Spark campaign (https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/07/15/as-california-heads-into-a-hotter-drier-season-governor-newsom-launches-one-less-spark-wildfire-prevention-campaign/), Californians are asked to:

• Mow before 10 a.m. and avoid mowing on hot, dry, or windy days.
• Secure tow chains so they don't drag and spark on the roadway.
• Avoid parking on dry grass, where a hot exhaust system can ignite a fire.
• Use caution with welding, grinding, or other equipment near dry vegetation.
• Get a permit before burning debris on your property, and always keep water nearby.

Californians can sign up for local emergency alerts at ready.ca.gov/alerts, check current incidents on the CAL FIRE Incident Map (https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents), and find wildfire preparedness guidance at ReadyForWildfire.org.

Si quieres suscribirte para recibir comunicados en español, haz clic aquí (https://mclist.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=afffa58af0d1d42fee9a20e55&id=f0ced51508).

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