As Fresno area sets a record for heat, schools take it easy with students

As the Fresno set a record for heat Monday, school districts took steps to protect students and cooling centers offered relief to residents needing a place to take a break.

The National Weather Service forecast a high of 109 degrees in Fresno, and that temperature was reached before 5 p.m. It broke the previous all-time high for Aug. 28 of 108 degrees, set in 1924.

Also hitting 109 were Hanford and Madera. Visalia reached 106.

Clear skies this week will allow the central San Joaquin Valley to continue to bake. The region is under a warning for excessive heat, which means taking it easy if you have to be outside, drinking lots of fluids (but not alcoholic beverages) and wearing loose-fitting closing.

An air-quality alert has been issued by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District for Fresno, Merced, Madera, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties because of smoke from the South Fork Fire, which is burning in Yosemite National Park.

Forecast highs in the Fresno area this week are 107 on Tuesday, 103 Wednesday, 104 Thursday, 106 Friday and Saturday and 103 Sunday and Labor Day.

Already this summer Fresno has had three heat waves – extended periods of highs at 100 degrees or more. They were June 17-25, July 3-18 and July 27-Aug. 3. The hottest single day was June 20, when Fresno reached 110 degrees.

Of July’s 31 days, 24 were above 100.

Impacts on students

Coaches in the Fresno Unified School District have been told to use caution with their student athletes due to the heat. No long-distance running or strenuous conditioning can take place when the heat index is at 105 degrees. Any team that does practice needs to have frequent hydration and shade breaks. And students must be monitored for any signs of heat-related problems.

Clovis Unified high school football teams cannot practice in pads or helmets Monday, and if practices are held, there must be shade-water breaks every 10 minutes, district spokeswoman Kelly Avants said. Clovis Unified will also follow the air district’s guidelines for air quality and will move practices indoors as needed.

Both districts said sports practices, recesses and physical education classes can be canceled if coaches and school administrators think that is needed.

Cooling centers

The city of Fresno is keeping its cooling centers open all week to provide anyone a safe place to cool off. Cooling centers will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at the following locations:

▪ Ted C. Wills Community Center, 770 N. San Pablo Ave.

▪ Frank H. Ball Neighborhood Center, 760 Mayor Ave.

▪ Mosqueda Community Center, 4670 E. Butler Ave.

▪ Pinedale Community Center, 7170 N. San Pablo Ave.

FAX buses will give a free ride to any passenger who asks for a ride to a cooling center.

In Visalia, the city transit center will be open as a cooling station. It is located at 425 E. Oak Ave., and will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. for cooling through Tuesday; officials are still deciding if it needs to be used for cooling on Wednesday. The center has ample seating, vending machines and restrooms. All of the bus routes lead to the center.

This story was originally published August 28, 2017 at 10:57 AM with the headline "As Fresno area sets a record for heat, schools take it easy with students."