Oregon Gov. Kate Brown recently implemented a state of emergency, as the US Pacific Northwest is undergoing yet another heat wave weeks after scorching temperatures forced many to seek refuge at city cooling centers.
The executive order, which was issued on Tuesday, is expected to remain in effect through August 20. The directive had initially stated it would run through August 15 before Brown informed the public on Wednesday of the extended schedule.
With a plea for residents to “treat these hot temperatures seriously,” Brown further called on family and neighbors to check in on the elderly and vulnerable individuals to ensure they are aware of the nearest cooling centers in their respective cities.
Additionally, Brown reiterated the possibility of wildfires such as the monstrous Bootleg wildfire that burned hundreds of thousands of acres within the Beaver State, and urged the public to “do their part to prevent fires from starting and to help keep our communities and firefighters safe.”
Forecasts released by the National Weather Service’s Portland station revealed that northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington state were going to be smacked with sweat-inducing temperatures for the remainder of the week.
In fact, data suggests that Thursday and Friday are going to be the two hottest days for the region, as temperatures are forecasted to reach a boiling 103 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas. Figures are seen plummeting slightly starting on Saturday.
Although the US Pacific Northwest typically ranges in the 80-degree range weather during the summer months, temperatures have continued to break records in recent years, as well as raise concerns about the state’s lack of homes with functioning air-conditioning units.
Earlier this year, when the region was hit with another unrelenting heat wave, many residents died from heat-related stresses. Washington and Oregon previously confirmed that they had recorded over 100 fatalities.