BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhua) -- China's national observatory on Sunday renewed a yellow alert for high temperatures in the coming week, as a persistent heat wave is expected to scorch some parts of southern and central China.

This week, vast areas of central and southern China will see temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, the National Meteorological Center said.

On Sunday, temperatures in some parts of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Shandong and Jiangxi provinces may rise to 39 degrees Celsius, the center said.

The public should reduce outdoor activities, and local authorities should take precautions against fires that may be caused by excessive power loads, the center warned.

China has a three-tier color-coded warning system for heat waves, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange and yellow.