By admin 
Sacramento remains in the grip of triple-digit temperatures.
Health experts and safety officials are urging people to take precautions to protect themselves, their children and pets during the ongoing hot weather.
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Despite some midweek cooling, temperatures in the Central Valley are expected to soar back into the triple-digits this weekend, The Sacramento Bee reported.
The heat dome boosting temperatures also is moving smoke from Oregon wildfires into California, decreasing air quality, especially with the addition of smoke as the Gann fire grows.
Read more Arrest made as Gann Fire burns more than 7,000 acres in California foothills
Here are key takeaways:
- People with asthma and allergies face heightened risks during hot weather, as breathing hotter air can cause airways to constrict and heat traps ozone and particulate matter that worsen air pollution, the American Lung Association and Allergy & Asthma Network warn.
- At least 10 dogs, cats and other pets have died from heat-related causes in the United States so far in 2026 as of June 9, and 150 animals endured heat-related deaths in 2025, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals reported.
- Beware when walking your dog. Dogs are especially vulnerable to heat stroke because they regulate temperature through panting and small sweat glands in their paw pads rather than skin sweating, and asphalt can reach 135 degrees when the air temperature is just 86 degrees, the American Kennel Club advises.
- The interior of a vehicle parked in 70-degree weather can reach 100 degrees in just 20 minutes and climb to 140 degrees in less than an hour on very hot days, and cracking a window makes no meaningful difference, the American Veterinary Medical Association says.
- California law makes it illegal to leave an animal alone in a vehicle in conditions that endanger its health, with first-time fines of up to $100 per animal and penalties rising to $500 or six months in jail if the pet is injured.
- Kaitlyn’s Law makes it illegal to leave a child age 6 or younger unattended in a vehicle if conditions could endanger the child’s safety, with violations carrying fines up to $100 and potential child endangerment charges that can include up to six years in prison, California Vehicle Code states.
- The California State Fair has established seven Kaiser Permanente-sponsored Cool Zones and seven water misters to help attendees beat the heat. Fairgoers can also get a quick cool-down on the White Water Flume Ride
- Life jackets are required by Sacramento County law for children under 13 at local rivers, where a 19-year-old drowned in April at Tiscornia Park while trying to save a young relative, Sacramento safety officials said.
- Boat operators on Sacramento-area waterways must obtain a California Boater Card by completing a safety course, and sheriff’s deputies and police officers will patrol rivers to enforce safety equipment requirements including Coast Guard-approved life jackets, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Sgt. Sam Flores said.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
This story was originally published August 5, 2026 at 12:49 PM with the headline “Sacramento faces triple-digit heat, wildfire smoke. How to keep kids, pets safe.”
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