Extreme heat across the U.S. Southwest will build on Wednesday and is expected to last for several days. In Southern California, there are major fire and health concerns.

LADWP and Southern California Edison officials have been asking customers to conserve energy due to the strain on the system.

A heat wave hitting the West, sending temperatures soaring past the century mark, is expected to persist into the weekend, with the most intense and prolonged heat expected in the Desert Southwest.

A fire weather watch and red flag warnings have been issued for later this week across portions of Southern California. The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings across large sections of Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, while a fire weather watch is also in place.

The report, released this week, found that 58% of fast-food workers surveyed in July said they had worked in excessive heat conditions in the last year. And nearly half, or 48%, reported experiencing heat illness symptoms including headaches, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, muscle pain or nausea.