After a short break from the heat and smoke, high temperatures and haze are forecast for much of Oregon over the Labor Day weekend.
Heat, red flag and fire weather advisories are in place for the Willamette Valley this weekend. Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 90s in most areas. Matthew Cullen with the National Weather Service says this means people should remain extra vigilant about fire safety during the holiday.
“If you’re pulling your car off the side of the road or on a dirt road be very careful where you park because it’s very dry and could spark very quickly,” says Cullen. “If you’re camping make sure you abide by all of the restrictions that are in place across the state which do vary by jurisdiction and really just be very careful with any source of open flame because it really doesn’t take much when we have these very dry conditions along with some gusty winds for a small spark to grow into a larger fire.”
Winds are also expected to carry smoke into the Willamette Valley from the many fires burning around the state. With the heat people should remember to stay hydrated, check in on friends and family without air conditioning and never leave children or pets in cars.