Free transportation to cooling centers and garbage collection long before sunrise were among the steps taken in the Pacific Northwest as the region reached the peak of a heat wave of several days
In Portland, temperatures soared to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.9 Celsius) on Tuesday in Oregon’s largest city, expected to be the hottest day of a scorching spell that will be unusually long for this part of the United States.
It was also a new daily record for the city on July 26, surpassing the previous mark set in 2020.
Read more: 14 single-day temperature records fall in BC as heat wave ends
Seattle also reported a new record daily high of 94 F (34.4 C), breaking the previous record of 92 F (33.3 C) from 2018, according to the National Weather Service.
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Elsewhere in Washington state, record daily temperatures were also recorded in Bellingham and the capital, Olympia, which experienced 90 F (32.2 C) and 97 F (36.1 C) respectively.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency across much of the state, warning that extreme temperatures could cause service outages and transportation disruptions.
Temperatures are not expected to cool in western Oregon and Washington until the weekend.
1:35 Heat warnings for most of British Columbia Heat warnings for most of British Columbia
In the sweltering heat, Matthew Carr spent his lunch break at a fountain in downtown Portland. The 57-year-old works outside collecting trash for the city and had to find a way to cool off.
“That’s pretty hot,” Carr said. “I can just take off my uniform, jump in there in my shorts for my break and hang out for 10 or 15 minutes.”
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Oregon health officials say there has been an increase in the number of people reporting heat-related illnesses to emergency departments and the number of people calling 911 for similar symptoms.
“Daily heat-related illness visits are at above-expected levels across the state,” said Jonathan Modie, communications manager for the Oregon Health Authority’s Division of Public Health.
He said there were 32 such visits to emergency rooms on Monday, compared with three to five a day before the heat wave began.
Portland officials have opened cooling centers in public buildings and set up misting stations in parks. TriMet, which operates public transit in the Portland metro area, will allow passengers who can’t pay the fares to ride for free when heading to the cooling centers.
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4:34 How to prepare and stay healthy during BC’s latest heat wave How to prepare and stay healthy during BC’s latest heat wave
Most of Portland’s trash companies began earlier pickups Tuesday morning, starting at 4 a.m. to reduce drivers’ exposure to heat and health risks. The first rounds will likely continue until Friday morning.
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Multnomah County, which includes Portland, planned to open four overnight emergency cooling shelters starting Tuesday night so that people unable to cool themselves could stay overnight. The locations can accommodate a total of 245 guests, Multnomah County spokeswoman Kate Yeiser said.
“We will find space for anyone who needs it,” Yeiser said, adding that the sites have a “no-holds-barred policy.” He said the county could open an additional center overnight Wednesday if demand is high.
Many libraries are extending their hours, staying open until 8 or 9 p.m., to give people more time to freshen up.
2:29 BC Evening Weather Forecast: July 26 BC Evening Weather Forecast: July 26
Residents and officials in the Northwest have been trying to adjust to the likely reality of longer and hotter heat waves after last summer’s deadly heat dome weather phenomenon that led to record temperatures and deaths.
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In response, Oregon passed a law requiring all new homes built after April 2024 to have air conditioning installed in at least one room. The law already prohibits landlords in most cases from restricting tenants from installing cooling devices in their rental units.
About 800 people died in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia during a 2021 heat wave that hit in late June and early July. The temperature at the time rose to a record high of 116 F (46.7 C) in Portland and broke heat records in cities and towns across the region. Many of those who died were elderly and lived alone.
2:00 Abnormally high temperatures threaten Canadian crops, food supply Abnormally high temperatures threaten Canadian crops, food supply
Although temperatures this week are not expected to be that high, the expected number of consecutive hot days has raised concerns among officials.
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat advisory for large areas of Oregon and Washington state.
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Officials in Seattle and Portland have issued air quality advisories Tuesday through Saturday, warning that smog could reach levels that could be unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Cooler locations are open in Seattle, King County and Western Washington.
1:55 Intense heat adds pressure to strained Canadian health care Intense heat adds pressure to strained Canadian health care
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