High heat is expected! Consumers are urged to reduce energy use to protect the grid.

The California Independent System Operator (ISO) has issued a statewide Flex Alert, a call for voluntary electricity conservation, for today, Aug. 17, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., due to predicted high temperatures pushing up energy demand and tightening available power supplies. With above-normal temperatures in the forecast across much of the state tomorrow, the power grid operator is expecting an increase in electricity demand, primarily from air conditioning use, and is calling for voluntary conservation steps to help balance supply and demand. Consumers are urged to conserve electricity, especially during the late afternoon and early evening, when the grid is most stressed due to higher demand and less solar energy. Reducing energy use during a Flex Alert can help stabilize the power grid during a time of tight supply conditions, and prevent further emergency measures, including power outages.

For information on Flex Alerts, and to get more electricity conservation tips, visit FlexAlert.org. Be sure to keep up to date with the National weather service.

Tips before a Flex Alert:

• Pre-cool home by setting the thermostat to as low as 72 degrees
• Use major appliances:
• Washer and dryer
• Dishwasher
• Oven and stove for pre-cooking and preparing meals
• Adjust blinds and drapes to cover windows

Tips during a Flex Alert from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.:

• Set the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits
• Avoid using major appliances
• Turn off all unnecessary lights

A Flex Alert is issued by the ISO when the electricity grid is under stress because of generation or transmission outages, or from persistent hot temperatures. Follow developing grid conditions at the ISO’s News webpage, under the System Conditions Bulletin, or follow us on Twitter at @California_ISO.

Plan ahead – Contact one of the Forest visitor information specialists ahead of time to ask about local conditions and restrictions.

Think Safety – hike with a friend when possible and schedule your hikes before 10 am and after 4 pm to avoid the warmest temperatures of the day. Bring lots of water!

Dress appropriately – wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing along with sturdy shoes or hiking boots. Use sunscreen on exposed skin and a wide-brimmed hat to shield your face from direct sunlight.

Respect Your Public Lands – stay on designated trails, be considerate of your fellow visitors, and leave the areas you visit in better condition than you found them. While dogs are welcome on public lands, you should clean up after them just as you would back home. There have been several unfortunate incidents recently involving dogs in the Forest that have suffered heat-related illnesses – please choose activities that your pet is physically accustomed to. And never leave a dog inside a parked vehicle even with all the windows down.

What you need to know:

• The current monkeypox situation is rapidly evolving
• Vaccines are very limited. We have received 260 doses of MPX that will be available for eligible residents. To learn about the eligibility criteriaclick here.
• The monkeypox virus spreads primarily through close, intimate contact with someone who has Monkeypox.
• If you have any symptoms of Monkeypox, talk to your healthcare provider, even if you don’t think you had contact with someone who has Monkeypox.
• CDC is urging healthcare providers in the United States to be alert for patients with rash illnesses consistent with Monkeypox.

What is Monkeypox?

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. This virus is part of the same family of viruses as the virus that causes smallpox. Monkeypox is of public health concern because the illness is similar to smallpox and can be spread from infected humans, animals, and materials contaminated with the virus. Monkeypox is less transmissible and usually less severe than smallpox.

How it spreads:

Monkeypox spreads in different ways. The virus can spread from person to person through:

• Direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids
• Respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex
• Touching items (such as clothing or linens) that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids
• Pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta

Monkeypox can spread from when symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks. People who do not have monkeypox symptoms cannot spread the virus to others. At this time, it is unknown whether Monkeypox can spread through semen or vaginal fluids.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of Monkeypox usually begin one to two weeks after infection. They include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches and backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion
• Respiratory symptoms (e.g. sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough)
• A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
• The rash goes through different stages before healing completely.

People with Monkeypox may experience all or only a few of these symptoms. Most with Monkeypox will develop the rash or sores. Some people have reported developing a rash or sores before (or without) the flu-like symptoms. Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until all sores have healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. This can take several weeks.

For more information, visit Santa Barbara County Public Health Department website.

I realized that, in an age where a $5,000 or cheaper unarmed drone can help save the homes of people who have lived in Santa Barbara, maybe people you have met, no one can say they can’t make a difference.

It is for that reason that a friend of mine and I started this local effort. Please consider helping, even in a small way (remember to write Drones 4 Ukraine in the memo section so it will go to this effort). Follow this link to donate: https://www.drones2ukraine.org/