Shasta County emergency cooling centers open as Redding temperatures soar
Shasta County health officials will open temporary emergency cooling centers to help people stay safe this week as daytime temperatures are predicted to soar as high as 118 degrees and utility companies warn of possible power outages during risky fire weather.
The heat wave hitting Redding and the rest of the Sacramento Valley is putting people, pets and livestock at "extreme risk for heat-related illnesses," the National Weather Service's Sacramento branch and California public health branches have announced.
This week's hot weather is especially dangerous because it's lasting so long: At least through Monday, July 8. With afternoon temperatures in Redding soaring to over 110 daily and peaking as high as 118 on Friday or Saturday, there will be "little to no relief" from heat overnight, the weather service said Tuesday.
The worst heat will hit valley communities including the Redding area, but extreme heat warnings extend to the foothills, according to the weather service.
More: UPDATE: PG&E pushes back power shutoff window to some customers during 'fire weather'
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. officials reported Tuesday that they'd turned off power to some North State communities to avoid wind gusts from sparking fires by blowing debris into power lines. Those planned outages could happen in Shasta County through Wednesday, the utility reported.
Shasta County officials decided to open temporary emergency cooling centers starting on Tuesday due to the extreme heat and possible power outages that could leave some residents without air conditioning. These refuge locations will open in addition to existing public places that serve as permanent cooling centers.
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The facilities will offer water, bathrooms and some charging stations for cell phones, as well as a place to sit and cool off, according to Amy Koslosky, supervising community education specialist at the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency.
Temporary cooling centers will operate in:
Shasta Lake: The meeting room at the Shasta Lake Visitor’s Center, 1525 Median Ave., will open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2 and Wednesday, July 3.
Cottonwood: Cottonwood Community Center's Middle Hall at 20595 Gas Point Road will open from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2 and Wednesday, July 3.
Here's a list of other public and private locations that serve ongoing as cooling centers, according to the county. Hours and holiday/Independence Day closures were updated with calls to the facilities on Tuesday.
Anderson
Anderson Library (3200 West Center St.) is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Closed July 4. For updates call 530-365-7685.
Frontier Senior Center's (2081 Frontier Trail) cooling center is open to people ages 50 and over from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The facility closes at 4 p.m. Closed Thursday and Friday, July 4 and 5. For updates call 530-365-3254.
Burney
The Burney Library (37116 Main St.) is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Closed July 4. For updates call 530-335-4317.
Cottonwood
The Cottonwood Library (3427 Main St.) is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Closed July 4. For updates call 530-347-4818.
Redding
The Redding Library (1100 Parkview Ave.) is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Closed July 4. For updates call 530-245-7250.
The Good News Rescue Mission's dining hall (3075 Veda St.) or other parts of the facility (3100 S. Market St.) are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For updates call 530-241-5754.
Shasta Lake
Hours at the Shasta Lake Library (1525 Median Ave.) vary. Library staff didn't return phone calls on Tuesday seeking details. But a recording listed hours for the week of June 24 as 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, with at least one hour Saturday morning. The library is closed on July 4, according to the county. For updates call 530-275-7490.
More: Fire burning west of Redding under hot, windy and dangerous conditions
The county opens temporary emergency cooling centers if there's a daytime heat index — a combination of air temperature and humidity — hotter than 110 degrees and a nighttime heat index higher than 80 degrees for two consecutive days, according to the Shasta County Health and Human Services agency.
Other conditions for opening centers include a power outage with a heat index above 105 degrees, an uptick in the number of “heat-related illnesses, medical emergencies” or deaths and any other situation in which public health officials determine that “heat exposure puts lives in imminent danger,” according to the HHSA.
For updates on county's cooling centers call 530-229-8882 or go to ShastaHeatSafety.org.
For more information on the effects of heat on health, and tips for keeping people cool, go to the California Office of Emergency Services website at news.caloes.ca.gov/staying-safe-during-extreme-heat.
For more information on keeping pets and livestock cool, go to the Humane Society's website at humanesociety.org/resources/keep-pets-safe-heat and the Tufts University school of veterinary medicine website at vet.tufts.edu/news-events/news/keeping-farm-and-livestock-cool-summer-heat.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding, Shasta Lake cooling centers open in heat wave
