Heat wave alert

The message for staying healthy is: stay out of the sun and drink a lot of water. Bonnie Terra, a San Mateo fire inspector said the public needs to pay special attention to the elderly and children, who are most vulnerable to the affects of extreme temperatures.

"Especially right now in the heat, there are medical concerns. Elderly and children cannot handle the heat as much so they may have to alter their activities to be more sedentary or stay inside," she said.

Terra urged people to contact their parents and check up on elderly neighbors.

Children should wear as little as possible - for infants that means only a diaper. And everyone should make sure they stay out of the sun and drink a lot of water.

Some of the signs of extreme dehydration are cramps, loss of sweat, and lack of urination. These conditions are a prelude to heat stroke, which can be life threatening if medical attention is not received.

Waiting until you're thirsty before you start to drink is not enough - you are probably already dehydrated. "By the time you get thirsty, you're actually catching up," said Terra. And drinking soda, alcohol or caffeinated drinks do not count - these drinks have a dehydrating affect. "Drink water - it's the best thing," said Terra.

Fires can also be a greater problem during hot and dry conditions. "The ground cover doesn't have the same moisture," said Assistant Chief Ray Marshall of the Burlingame Fire Department. "A cigarette butt in the morning will go out, but in the afternoon might catch the grass on fire."

Marshall said the fire department has not been really busy in the past few days, but they did respond to a minor grass fire at the Millbrae exit on highway 280. The fire burned a ten square foot area before the department put it out. Marshall said the fire was started from a cigarette butt or a flare put up while someone was repairing a vehicle on the side of the road.

Most fires that start during hot and dry weather come from accidental sources such as cigarette butts and ashes, barbecue ashes, and embers put in plastic garbage cans. Gas powered lawn equipment can also produce a spark that can start a fire. The fire department is urging the public to avoid barbecuing and the use of gas powered equipment, and avoid pulling off the side of the road into dry grass. Ashes should always be disposed of in metal garbage cans.