Newport Beach lifeguards pulled 171 people from dangerous rip currents over the weekend ending Sunday, July 26, with rescues continuing Monday, July 27, as powerful surf battered Orange County's coastline. The total marks a significant increase from the roughly 100 rescues logged the previous weekend.

Crews also made more than 2,600 preventative interventions, warning or redirecting swimmers before a rescue became necessary, according to CBS Los Angeles.

"It's dangerous, and it could turn on you and put you in a life-threatening situation in seconds," Newport Beach Fire Department Chief Lifeguard Brian O'Rourke said.

Lifeguard David O'Keefe pulled a man to safety Saturday night in West Newport by keeping a safe distance and handing him his rescue buoy. On Monday, swimmer Katherine Fernandez had to be rescued from the ocean, and tourist Ian Nolan was caught in the currents after drifting farther from shore than he realized.

The 171 rescues represent a sharp jump from the weekend of July 19-20, when about 100 people were pulled from the water during a High Surf Advisory with breaking waves of four to seven feet and sets up to eight feet. O'Rourke told KTLA on July 20 that lifeguards had been very busy rescuing people that weekend.

Newport Beach was not alone. Across Orange County, Huntington Beach lifeguards rescued 238 people and made more than 4,200 preventative interventions over the same period. Combined, the two agencies pulled more than 400 swimmers to safety. In Los Angeles County, lifeguards made nearly 2,000 rescues across 20 beaches spanning about 25 miles.

Newport Beach's lifeguard operation is fully staffed this summer with 224 guards, including 96 assigned to towers, truck patrols, and rescue boats, according to O'Rourke. The division, recognized as an Advanced Agency by the United States Lifesaving Association, patrols eight miles of coastline that draws up to 100,000 visitors on a peak summer day.

NBFD public information officer David Gibson told the Newport Beach Indy on July 5 that lifeguards typically rescue between 50 and 300 people on a single high-surf day. He urged beachgoers to swim near a lifeguard tower, stay at least 100 feet from piers and jetties, and learn how to escape a rip current.

To escape a rip current, Newport Beach lifeguards advise swimming parallel to shore, then angling back toward the beach. If escape feels impossible, float on your back and wave your hands to signal for help. Rip currents can pull swimmers away from shore at speeds up to eight feet per second, according to the U.S. Lifesaving Association.

Conditions remained active as of Monday, July 27. Residents and visitors can check current ocean conditions at Newport Beach lifeguard towers, where colored flags indicate hazard levels: green for small waves with possible rip currents, yellow for moderate conditions, and red for hazardous surf recommended for expert swimmers only.