Beverly Hills activated three free cooling centers on Tuesday, Aug. 25, as a heat wave pushed temperatures into the 90s and the National Weather Service warned conditions will intensify through Friday.

The air-conditioned spaces are open to anyone at the Beverly Hills Public Library (444 N. Rexford Dr.), Roxbury Park Community Center (471 S. Roxbury Dr.) and La Cienega Park Community Center (8400 Gregory Way). The city announced the openings in a public safety advisory on its Facebook page, reported by Canyon News, urging residents to seek relief indoors during peak afternoon hours.

The activation came as the NWS issued an extreme heat warning for Los Angeles County effective Tuesday, Aug. 25, through Friday, Aug. 28. A Red Flag Warning also took effect at 10 a.m. Tuesday, covering interior mountains and foothills across Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, with forecast highs reaching 108 degrees in the lower mountains.

Beverly Hills was forecast to reach 93 degrees on Tuesday, Aug. 25, and 95 on Wednesday, Aug. 26. CBS Los Angeles meteorologists reported that Wednesday through Friday could mark the first time since 1885 that Los Angeles records three consecutive August days above 100 degrees.

Los Angeles County Health Officer Muntu Davis, MD, said the danger is real: "Heat causes more deaths in the U.S. annually than floods, storms, and lightning combined."

Davis urged older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes and people with chronic medical conditions to take extra precautions. The city's advisory recommends drinking water throughout the day, wearing loose clothing, limiting strenuous outdoor activity and checking on neighbors, especially children and the elderly.

Heat exhaustion symptoms include heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea and fainting. Heat stroke, marked by very high body temperature, confusion or hot and red skin, is a medical emergency. Call 911 immediately.

As we reported Aug. 24, heat alerts for the region extend through Aug. 29. The city has not announced a closing date for the cooling centers.

Residents seeking additional cooling locations countywide can call 211 or visit ready.lacounty.gov/heat.