West Coast heat wave still dangerous for people and wildlife (includes video story)

Record-breaking heat and wildfires continue to threaten power outages in western states like California, Utah and Montana. Worst of all, officials warn it may not be over.

For the eighth day in a row, California is urging residents to conserve power. Ten cities in the state set all-time high record temperatures on Tuesday.

In Davis, residents lost power as temperatures reached a high of 113 degrees. These heat conditions have caused wildfires across the area.

Near Hemet, firefighters are battling the Fairview fire. It burned 5,000 acres and killed two people as of Wednesday and remains only five percent contained. The heat wave is expected to last through at least Friday.

Geraghty Skinner is a senior in the journalism program at FIU.