Excessive heat watches and red flag warnings were in effect across the northwestern United States Wednesday as record heat began building in some places and AccuWeather forecasters along with local officials are warning that the weather is going to become a lot hotter in the coming days.
“We’re going to be looking at all-time record highs in some spots,” AccuWeather Chief Broadcast Meteorologist Bernie Rayno warned for a part of the country where air conditioning is not a staple in homes. Rayno said some of the places that will see temps soar farthest above normal include those along the Interstate-5 corridor between Seattle and Portland.
With triple-digit temperatures forecast throughout the Northwest over the next several days, the Humane Society of Central Oregon (HSCO) would like to remind pet owners that the best place for their pet is inside a cool house. Following are some tips to keep your pet safe as temperatures hover around 100 degrees on the high desert.
Dogs and cats cannot cool their body temperatures as efficiently as humans. Older, short muzzle and overweight dogs are more likely to overheat during hot weather. They should be kept indoors and can benefit from fans, cooling mats, cooling jackets and wading pools.
- If your pet is outside during the day, remember to provide protection from the sun and plenty of fresh, cool water. You can provide a wading pool to aid in cooling.
- Leaving your pet in a parked car can be a deadly mistake. The temperature inside a car can reach over 100 degrees in a few minutes. Even partially open windows won’t protect your pet from heatstroke.
- Exercise your dog in the morning or evening when temperatures and pavement are cool. The paw pads can get injured from the hot pavement and melted tar can get stuck to pad and hair. Pets need exercise but do it in the cooler hours of the day. Press your hand on pavement for 10 seconds, and if it’s not tolerable for you, it’s too hot for your pets. Hiking trails and dirt also retain the heat.
- Dogs in truck beds can suffer injury or heat stroke. Veterinarians know all too well dogs that have fallen out of the truck bed which resulted in severely injured dogs or motor vehicle accidents from people swerving to avoid the dog. If you cannot touch the hot truck bed with your bare hand, your dog should not be on the hot metal. Debris from the road damages eyes.
“Every year the Humane Society of Central Oregon warns people to keep their pets safe from the dangers of warm temperatures,” says Lynne Ouchida, community outreach manager. “Unfortunately, every year we hear of animals needlessly suffering from heat stroke. When summer heat hits, the City of Bend animal control receive four to eight calls per day regarding dogs left in hot cars.”
The Humane Society of Central Oregon has posters available for businesses and car windshield flyers that educate people on the dangers of leaving pets in hot cars. The educational flyers list the warning signs of a pet suffering from heat exhaustion or stroke.
The Humane Society of Central Oregon is located one mile south of Reed Market Road on 27th Street in Bend. The shelter is open Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 5:30 pm and Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information call the Humane Society of Central Oregon at 541.382.3537 or visit hsco.org
Pacific Power is also monitoring the expected rise in temperatures and offers advice for Oregonians dealing with triple-digit heat.
“From a power supply perspective, we do not anticipate heat-related service interruptions during this current heat wave,” according to a spokesman. Pacific Power wants to remind customers how to beat the heat, use less energy and save money:
Be air conditioner smart
- Set your thermostat at 78 degrees. Cooling your house below that temperature can increase your air conditioning bill as much as 8 percent.
- Don’t turn off the air conditioner when you’re gone; instead set it at 85 degrees. That setting allows your air conditioner to use less electricity to cool the house than if the air conditioning has been off all day.
- Use a smart or programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature around your schedule. Set it to start bringing your home’s temperature from 85 degrees down to 78 degrees no more than 30 minutes before you get home.
Don’t let the sun shine in
- On warm days, close blinds and drapes, especially in south-facing windows which allow in the most heat.
Open windows and circulate cool air
- Open windows in evening and early morning to let in cool air.
- Use fans to bring in and circulate cool air. Ceiling and window fans use much less electricity than air conditioning. Running an air conditioner in fan-only mode can also be effective as outside temperatures drop.
Reduce the heat inside
- Use heat-producing appliances like ovens, dishwashers and dryers in the early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler.
- Use a microwave, slow cooker or toaster oven. A toaster oven uses one-third to one-half as much energy as a regular oven and releases less heat into the home.
- Turn off heat-generating devices when not in use, including lamps, televisions and computers.
Be safe. With sweltering temperatures, you need to protect yourself. Drink plenty of water and stay out of the sun as much as possible. Also check on any neighbors who may have limited contact with others and may need a fan or other assistance.
The company owns and operates over 16,500 miles of high-voltage transmission across 10 states. That reach is essential in accessing available energy and delivering it to our customers. Still, extreme weather–either summer heat or winter storms–has the potential to produce localized outages. So we’re closely monitoring the system and will respond promptly if an outage of any nature occurs.
If you are concerned about your power bill, call us now. We can set up a payment plan or refer you to local agencies for bill assistance. Call us any time at 1-888-221-7070.
