Can you just shade the plants' canes a bit? I certainly wouldn't prune them off! they look perfectly OK to me. IF it even is an effect of the sun and heat, I'd describe them as merely having a light "suntan"; that doesn't even qualify as a "burn" in my book...

Thanks. I had read somewhere else that sunburn canes would have to be pruned.L. It I wanted to make sure. Sounds like it’s not needed. I’ll try just putting more soil on top of the crown and shading the cane.

Yes, I have plenty of sunburned canes from last year that are doing well.

It's been mid-90s Tues-Fri here in Santa Barbara, similar to you in coastal Los Angeles. More than 25 degrees above average for this time of year. Don't panic, and just make sure you're watering them enough. Based on the pic and the black "rim" at the top left of the pic, it looks like it's in a pot? Even more reason to keep them well-watered. Hot temps broke today for us, and supposed to get much cooler. Am I correct in assuming since I see pruned canes that these aren't brand new own roots?

@susan9santabarbara its almost a year old (planted late spring last year) and yes it is in a large 22” pot. The pruned cane was wind damaged during last year’s Santa Ana’s.

i wasn’t initially certain about the sunburn diagnosis but it makes the most sense. It did get a good drink on Friday during the hottest part of the heat wave but it’s a rooftop patio; the sun is intense and may have just been too much. I may need to bury crowns a little more.