As the final dog days of summer ticked down Sunday, Ventura County residents flocked to beaches, movie theaters and shopping centers, attempting to escape the heat wave.

The National Weather Service in Oxnard has issued an excessive heat warning through 7 tonight for many Ventura County areas. On Sunday temperatures in the Conejo Valley reached to the upper 90s, according to the Weather Service.

Jamie Meier, a meteorologist at the Weather Service in Oxnard, said temperatures would peak Sunday in Ojai at 103.

"The last few days have been extremely humid, which makes it more dangerous," Meier said. The humidity has pushed the heat index, which is the combined effects of temperature and humidity, past 100, she said.

The heat wave, paired with a long dry spell, has some residents on edge about the possibility of a widespread, rampant fire. It also fuels the potential for heat-related power outages.

In Ojai, 1,200 customers were without power when electric wires shorted out from excessive heat at 5:48 p.m. Saturday, said Jane Brown, a Southern California Edison spokeswoman. Those customers regained power at 2:49 a.m. Sunday.

In Oak View, overheated transformers caused 41 customers to lose power at 2:15 p.m. Saturday. Service was restored at 12:20 a.m. Sunday.

But those concerns were far from the minds of many beachgoers Sunday, as they relaxed and enjoyed moderate coastal temperatures.

The ocean was teeming with surfers and waders, and the seashore was filled with people lying out to tan or read, and the occasional sand castle builder.

A pair of siblings at San Buenaventura State Beach flung fistfuls of sand at each other as if it were snow.

"This is absolutely perfect weather," said Kathryn Schmidtberger, who was at the beach to sail, swim and body surf with her boyfriend, Keith Roberts, both of Canoga Park.

The cool breeze is what brought Juan Amezcua and his family from San Fernando Valley to Marina Park in Ventura.

Many had the same idea; the park was packed by the time he got there at 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

Amezcua also fled the heat Saturday — he said it was 108 degrees where he lives — and planned to return today and every weekend until the weather cools down.

"It's worth it to be outside," he said about the drive, as he and his 2-year-old daughter, Julie, sat in a tent, trying to keep cool.

Otherwise, he and his family would be seeking cover in their house, the air conditioner cranked.

That comfort, he said, is not without a price: high electric bills.

In crowded locales, where shade was coveted but sparse, many created their own; tents and canvas gazebos were scattered throughout Marina Park. Reggie Mojica, an Oxnard resident, made sure his 6-month-old daughter, Kaelyn, avoided a sunburn by staying inside a tent.

Many wanted to end the summer with a finale and tried to squeeze as many activities into the day as possible.

Bradley Maaz drove with his family from La Crescenta, near Pasadena, to enjoy the beach and get out of the extreme heat.

As he prepared to fly a kite, he talked excitedly about barbecuing hamburgers, fishing, swimming in the ocean and playing soccer.