SACRAMENTO - California’s third flex alert of the summer kicks in at 2pm Thursday as the longest heat wave of the year bakes the Golden State.

Cal ISO is asking that air conditioning be set no lower than 78 degrees. Californians should close their drapes, shut off unnecessary lights and appliances and put off using major appliances until late in the evening.

California ISO, which runs the state’s transmission grid from a nerve center in Folsom, said the flex alert should last until 9pm.

Flex alerts are the ISO’s first line of defense against blackouts and other severe problems.

“It’s a voluntary call for conservation,” said ISO spokesman Steven Greenlee.

Story Date: July 28, 2016