California faces wildfires, heat and likely rain, flooding

By JOHN ANTCZAK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Forces are beginning to collide in California as wildfires threaten communities, an epic heat wave stresses the electrical grid and moisture from a Pacific hurricane is expected to bring threats of thunderstorms and floods. Firefighters are struggling Thursday to control major wildfires in Southern California and the Sierra Nevada that have grown explosively, killed two people, forced evacuations and are producing smoke that could interfere with solar power production. Clouds from outer bands of the storm are also a potential problem for solar power, and the state’s grid operators have again called for energy conservation. The storm is expected to lose hurricane strength before it sends a surge of moisture into California Friday evening.