The National Weather Service issued an Extreme Heat Warning for Los Angeles and surrounding areas on Thursday, 21 August, with temperatures expected to reach the mid-30s°C and exceed 38°C in some locations.

Health officials warned that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can cause heat exhaustion and heatstroke, particularly for older adults, children, and outdoor workers.

The City of Los Angeles advised residents to stay cool by staying hydrated and limiting direct sun exposure between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Cooling centres have been set up at local parks, recreation areas, and libraries.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said it is monitoring the heat closely and has pre-deployed resources to high-risk areas, including water tankers, strike teams, additional dispatchers, and a water-dropping helicopter. The Los Angeles County Fire Department is taking similar precautions, holding daily briefings before sending out strike teams.

Residents and visitors are finding ways to cope.

“Neck fans, they do help a lot because they blow a little cool air and have a cooling system with them,” said Michael Malone, a street vendor selling fans on Hollywood Boulevard. “It just keeps you cooler when you’re doing your stroll down Hollywood.” 

Families are also seeking relief. An unidentified woman visiting a downtown fountain said, “We exhausted the beach so we came here today. I got up very early this morning to get the chores done then came out here.”

For some holidaymakers, it's been a challenging time being out all day. 

“So we were in the city hall and then we saw the park and we decided to stroll through it to the concert hall and all the way here we thought, 'Very hot.' And then we arrived here at the fountain and suddenly it was quite nice," explained tourists Linnea Ueberle and Finn Scheuble. "We thought it’s a perfect place to cool down with the fountain.”

According to the National Weather Service, LA could see August highs surpassing records set in 2019.

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