Staying cool has become a priority for one Glendale resident.
"I looked at my daughter and said it's now time to turn on the window unit," Mary Beth Broussard said, who bought a non-fat frozen yogurt during her break from Panda Software.
But the use of air conditioners and other appliances has stretched Glendale electrical circuits thin.
Power went out at about 5 p.m. in an area of south Glendale east of Glendale Avenue and Broadway due to overload, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said. Officials thought they would have it back up before 7 p.m., he said.
Fifty customers on Maryland Street also had an outage for 10 minutes Monday morning to prevent further outages, city spokesperson Vicki Gardner said.
"We haven't had any major outages today," Gardner said. "We have asked everyone in the city to conserve. The city is turning off any unnecessary power and we're asking residents to turn off their computer monitors when not in use."
Southern California Edison recommends setting air conditioners to 80 degrees in severe weather conditions and not using appliances between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m. to help conserve electricity and not overburden the circuits, according to its website.
Another concern during periods of excessive heat is increased brush fires, Glendale Fire Capt. Steve Parrish said.
"During this type of season we're very concerned with brush," Parrish said.
"We've sent out some resources to help with the fires down south. We sent a strike team to the horse incident in San Diego County and we have two strike teams on standby."
Although the Fire Department put out a fire to due an electrical transformer today, there have been no other fires in Glendale or the local tri-city area, Parrish said.
"It was put out quickly," he said. "We are prepared."
Residents can prepare as well by clearing brush away from their house, Parrish said.
"The proper maintenance of their property is important for their safety and the safety of their property and it greatly increases the chances of their home not burning," he said.
Edison customers can call (800) 611-1911 and check the status of rotating outages in their area.gnp.heat.1.0726-CPhotoInfo901T91OB20060725j2xpnoncCredit: CYNTHIA PERRY News-Press and Leader Caption: (LA)With temperatures reaching the low hundreds, 5-year-old Illeanna Garcia cooled off during a swim class at the Hoover High School pool on Monday.
