Earlier this past July, Eaton Canyon Conservation Chair Max Yasuda made the decision to suspend the regular monthly conservation meetups for the second year in a row due to extreme summer temperatures. This declaration comes amid what is shaping up to be one of the hottest summers on record in the northwestern San Gabriel Valley. The official Pasadena weather station operated by the National Weather Service in Oxnard has just observed it’s 3rd-highest July average daily maximum temperature on record at 94.00°F, falling just 0.52°F short of the record set last July. Even worse, July 2024’s coolest afternoon observed a high of 88°F, the warmest ‘coolest afternoon of July’ on record. 

“I think maybe we want to cancel our August and September meetups. We don’t want anyone to get a heat illness while volunteering in the park. I’ve seen other groups do this, and I think we may want to make this an annual thing [in summer] too.” – Max Yasuda, Conservation Chair

The Eaton Canyon Conservation Group meets once a month on the second Sunday to pull invasive plants, maintain native gardens, and pick up litter. You may sign up for future events by adding your eMail here. Summer temperatures have gotten much more extreme over the past century in the San Gabriel Valley, with average daily temperatures rising 7°F since the early 20th century. 

Heat is the deadliest form of weather in the United States. According to the Associated Press, at least 2,300 Americans died in summer 2023 due to complications from heat illnesses. It is not recommended that anybody hikes at Eaton Canyon while temperatures are ≥95°F (35°C). Always be sure to bring more than enough water with you while hiking, wear enough sunscreen, and know the symptoms of heat exhaustion. A heat stroke is an emergency. If you or a fellow hiker are experiencing one, call 9-1-1.