Palm Springs gas prices edge up again

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in the Inland Empire rose one-tenth of a cent today to $4.36, one day after a 27-day streak of increases ended with the price remaining unchanged.

The average price in Riverside and San Bernardino counties rose 58.6 cents during the streak, reaching its highest amount since July 25, 2008.

The average price is 2.6 cents more than one week ago, 58.7 cents higher than one month ago and 47.7 cents greater than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

The market appears to have absorbed a one-day 35-cent per gallon increase in the wholesale cost of gasoline triggered by last month’s major fire at the Cherry Point refinery near Blaine, Wash., according to Marie Montgomery of the Automobile Club of Southern California. The fire forced the refinery’s closure, reducing supply.