December 10, 2024

Excess heat and fire danger in Ashland

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for Ashland in effect from Sunday, August 13, 1 p.m. through Thursday, August 17, 11 p.m. During this time, the Oregon Health Authority urges folks to take precautions:
Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink
Learn about how any medications you take affects your body’s ability to regulate temperature
Check on a friend or neighbor, and have someone do the same for you
Check the local news for health and safety updates regularly
Avoid use of the stove or oven to cook— it will make you and your house hotter
Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing
Take cool showers or baths to cool down
Seek medical care immediately if you or someone you know experiences symptoms of heat-related illness
Additional information on the Oregon Health Authority website.

The City of Ashland has activated a cooling center in coordination with the Jackson County Library, for Sunday, August 13, 1 to 8 p.m., provided volunteers are available to staff the center. The center will be in the Ashland Public Library, located at 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

The cooling center is a no-frills shelter and will provide a cool, quiet, safe space for people needing to get out of the heat. Access to cool water and bathrooms will be available. Only quiet, well-behaved pets will be allowed.

Want to be more connected to when Cooling Centers are activated in Ashland? Do the following, and tell your friends, text 97520SHELTER (subject field) to 888777 (recipient field). This way you’ll be opted in on any text messages regarding centers or shelters in and around the Ashland area.

On extreme heat days in Ashland, when an official City of Ashland Cooling Shelter is not​ available, please consider the following options to help stay cool:
The Ashland Library, located at 410 Siskiyou Blvd, has general availability for escaping the heat and cooling off. The library is open on the following days and times…
Mon-Thu, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Fri, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sat-Sun, Noon to 5 p.m.
Find respite in one of 19 parks in the City of Ashland
In Hunter Park, the Daniel Meyer Memorial Pool is open Tuesday through Sunday. Complete information at ashland.or.us/Swim. In Lithia Park, the Swim Reservoir is both open. In addition, the Splash Pad at Garfield Park is open seven (7) days a week from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Most developed parks have functional water fountains, with the exception of Briscoe and Scenic Park. For information on the City of Ashland and APRC visit ashland.or.us.

On July 29, 2023, the fire danger in southwest Oregon increased to extreme and the Industrial Fire Precaution Levels to three. What does the extreme fire danger mean for you?
City operations such as tree cutting, in areas of dry vegetation, need a permit from Ashland Fire
Local contractors can apply for a permit from Ashland Fire as well
Some areas also require a permit from ODF (Oregon Department of Forestry)
Regulations only apply in areas of dry vegetation. There is no ban on doing work in an irrigated landscape
Activities banned include cutting or grinding metal etc. If in doubt, get a permit
Notifications on evacuation routes and zones during extreme fire danger:
Evacuations are a reality where we live, have yours and your family member’s go kits prepared and ready to grab. See ashland.or.us/GetReady
Review the City’s evacuation zone map, find your address and other places you frequently go in town and learn those zones too
Practice your evacuation. If normal routes are congested due to construction, now is the time to learn a second route. If routes are blocked, look for wide open spaces that could provide temporary refuge in an emergency
Last and certainly not least, sign up for alerts. Be proactive, create your Everbridge Citizen Alert account, ashland.or.us/alerts (Nixle has been replaced with Citizen Alert and you are strongly encouraged to create a new account). Alerts are one easy way to keep informed on whether evacuations are necessary in your community
“We are better together!”

Released August 11, 2023

https://www.ashland.or.us/News.asp?NewsID=5607