LOS ANGELES (AP) – California’s power grid operator is calling for voluntary conservation as the state swelters in a heat wave that’s blanketed the West and brought dangerously high temperatures to many areas. The California Independent System Operator has issued a Flex Alert for Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., urging people to set thermostats to 78 degrees or higher and avoid using major appliances. However, the system’s CEO says California is unlikely to see a repeat of last summer’s rolling blackouts. The National Weather Service is warning of triple-digit highs in deserts and inland areas, and potentially life-threatening temperatures in the Central Valley.