LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (KABC) -- A fire erupted Wednesday afternoon and is threatening structures in Laguna Niguel, officials said. The so-called Beacon Fire broke out near Ridgeway Avenue and Alcott Place. It is unclear how many acres have burned, but the Orange County Fire Authority is on scene actively battling the flames.

A dangerous, multiday heat wave descended on much of California and the U.S. Southwest, with near-record temperatures expected along with a higher risk of wildfires. Officials opened cooling centers this week in Los Angeles,

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.

The region has seen a relatively quiet summer so far concerning heat, but that's set to change with a longer lasting heat wave including 100s in the coming days.

Temperature over the past ~2 weeks have mostly been warmer than average across the Southwest, once again, including most of the California interior (but excluding portions of the California coast). Notably,

Forecasters are expecting a prolonged and potentially dangerous heat wave over the next few days, raising health concerns. Here's how Southern Californians can stay cool.

Governor Newsom prepositions emergency resources in Los Angeles County to combat potential wildfires during an upcoming heatwave.