Extreme heat warnings throughout Oregon, Southwest Washington prompt officials to open cooling centers

Heat warnings and advisories are in place for much of Oregon and Southwest Washington through Tuesday night. Daytime temperatures in many areas could reach triple digits, and overnight temperatures aren’t expected to provide much relief.

The National Weather Service has issued extreme heat warnings throughout the Willamette Valley, the Columbia River Gorge and the Hood River Valley, south through the foothills of the Cascades in Central Oregon, and east through the John Day Basin and Blue Mountains.

Temperatures in those areas could range from about 97 to 105 degrees, with low temperatures generally staying around or above the mid-60s. The warnings are in effect through 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Heat advisories are also in place along most of the Oregon Coast Range through 10 p.m. Tuesday, for unusually high temperatures nearing 100 degrees.

Cooling centers open

Several counties are opening cooling centers in response to the high temperatures.

On Monday, Multnomah County declared a state of emergency largely because temperatures aren’t expected to cool substantially overnight. The county opened three daytime cooling centers, saying no one will be turned away and pets are welcome.

Those centers, which will stay open through 9 p.m. Monday, include:

• Gateway Church, 13300 N.E. San Rafael St., Portland.
• Congregation Beth Israel, 1972 N.W. Flanders St., Portland.
• Portland Covenant Church, 4046 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland.

Scott Anderson with Clackamas County said they’re taking similar steps

“We’re really encouraging people who don’t have access to air conditioning to visit our cooling centers across the county,” Anderson said.

The Father’s Heart Street Ministry in Oregon City will remain open as an emergency cooling center from 9 a.m. Monday through 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Other cooling spaces, including several churches, libraries, coffee shops and community centers, will also be available for people looking to beat the heat. People are being advised to call 211 for a full list.

Portland’s regional transit system, TriMet, also says anyone headed to or from a cooling center Monday can ride for free between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. The agency is asking travelers to let their drivers know that they are heading to a cooling center.

In Southern Oregon, parts of Curry, Josephine and Jackson counties are under extreme heat warnings through 2 a.m. Wednesday for temperatures up to 110 degrees.

Officials there have also opened several cooling centers across the region, including:

• ACCESS, 324 W. 6th St., Medford.
• Trinity Episcopal Church, 44 N. 2nd St., Ashland.
• MINT, 218 Redwood Hwy., Grants Pass.

In Southwest Washington, the Council for the Homeless issued a severe weather alert and opened its emergency shelter system in Clark County.

For more information on where to stay cool across the state and Southwest Washington, visit here.

Heat dries undergrowth, increasing wildfire threat

The heat is also prompting authorities to warn people out camping to be especially careful.

Wildfires are usually caused by human activities like campfires or lightning storms.

During this time of year, campfires are banned throughout most of the state and national forests. But high temperatures mean the undergrowth will get very dry and something as innocuous as a spark can start a fire.

Jessica Neujahr, a spokesperson with the Oregon Department of Forestry, says they have staff out patrolling, warning campers about the heat. The agency also has more than 90 cameras, feeding images back to a control center where software checks for smoke.

“Because it knows what the landscape is supposed to look like, when there’s smoke it says: ‘Hey there’s something wrong, you need to look at it,’” Neujahr said.

The center also includes a mapping system so dispatchers know exactly where the fire is and can quickly send firefighters.

No lightning activity is forecast until this weekend, when temperatures are expected to be much lower.

Staying safe during extreme heat

Forecasters warn that heat-related illnesses significantly increase during these extreme heat events. That’s especially true for people who are heat-sensitive and those who lack access to effective cooling or adequate hydration.

People in the affected areas should drink plenty of fluids throughout the day and stay out of the sunshine. Anyone who needs to find heat-related resources, including access to cool places, can visit 211info.org.

NWS also warns that people who work or generally spend more time outdoors should take extra precautions. That includes restricting strenuous activities to early morning or evening, and knowing the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

JPR’s Emma J Nelson contributed to this story.