TBS Today, June 3

An anonymous individual has taken credit for setting a police car on fire at UC Berkeley over the weekend "in solidarity" with Palestine.

UC Berkeley officials have declined to comment on the matter and referred all inquiries to the Office of the State Fire Marshal — which has also been unwilling to say much.

Here's what we know. We're working to learn more.

UC Berkeley police car burned, possibly in support of Palestine
UC Berkeley officials declined to comment on the matter and referred all inquiries to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

It wasn't the only arson report in Berkeley over the weekend.

On Saturday night, UCPD said someone "set fire to a patch of dry grass on the north side of the East Asian Library." The arsonist managed to evade capture.

Then, on Sunday at 3 p.m., Berkeley PD got a report of a fire "in the tree line of South Aquatic Park. A witness reported seeing a subject pouring lighter fluid on the fire before fleeing the scene. The fire ignited a large portion of a tree line in a heavily wooded area adjacent to an active set of train tracks and nearby a trail/bike path."

BFD put out the fire and police arrested Lemont Brown, 32, in connection with that case.

He's still in custody as of Monday with a bail of $67,500. Arraignment is set for Wednesday, according to booking records.

Prepare for high temperatures Tuesday, June 4

The city of Berkeley just released the following AC Alert message about Tuesday's weather. It appears below in full. Sign up for AC Alert.

Temperatures tomorrow, Tuesday June 4, are expected to reach the mid-80s, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Heat Advisory including Berkeley.

Take steps today to make sure your household, neighbors, and loved ones stay safe and comfortable tomorrow. 

  1. Prepare to stay cool in your home: Gather supplies to stay cool, like fans and ice. Watch this video about how to keep your house cool in the summer without air conditioning 
  2. Plan where to go tomorrow if your home gets too hot: The following public sites are equipped with air conditioning and will be open tomorrow, June 4:
  1. Buddy up with your friends, family, and neighbors: Make a plan to check on the vulnerable people in your network at least twice tomorrow. 

Even though many people don’t consider the mid-80s to be very hot, the National Weather Service considers tomorrow to have moderate heat risk because our bodies are not yet acclimatized to the heat of summer. Elders, children, and people with certain medical conditions can be very vulnerable to heat. People who live alone are especially vulnerable. 

Based on current Berkeley forecasts, temperatures are expected to drop to the low 80s on Wednesday June 5, and further into the 70s into the rest of the week. 

In case you missed it

Berkeley purse-snatcher strikes again, evades police
There have now been six bags taken from women’s cars since last Friday, in addition to a seventh incident where a woman scared off the thief.
Help Berkeley prepare for natural hazards and disasters
The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies hazards Berkeley faces and prioritizes actions that reduce risks. Find out how to get involved.

See all our recent stories. Learn more about our work.


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