Many food trucks have shut down as sidewalks sizzle. People in Portland’s iconic food cart industry are among those who work outside.

People working or exercising outside, along with older people, were among those taken to emergency departments, the statement added. “In the past three days, hospitals have treated 13 people for heat illness, when they would normally expect to see two or three.” Multnomah County said more people have been visiting emergency departments for heat-related symptoms.Įmergency department visits “have remained elevated since Sunday,” the county said in a statement. Most calls involved a medical response, Douthit added. Heat-related 911 calls in Portland have tripled in recent days, from an estimated eight calls on Sunday to 28 calls on Tuesday, said Dan Douthit, a spokesperson for the city’s Bureau of Emergency Management. The duration of the heat wave puts Portland “in the running” for tying its longest streak of six consecutive days of 95 F (35 C) or higher, Neuman said.Ĭlimate change is fueling longer heat waves in the Pacific Northwest, a region where weeklong heat spells were historically rare, according to climate experts. The National Weather Service has extended the excessive heat warnings from Thursday through Saturday evening. The heat spell was forecast to last into Saturday in western Washington as well. Seattle on Tuesday also reported a new record daily high of 94 F (34.4 C). On Tuesday, Portland set daily record 102 F (38.9 C). Temperatures in Oregon’s largest city are forecast to soar to 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 Celsius) again on Friday. “For the next several days through Saturday we’re going to be within a few degrees of 100 every day,” said Colby Neuman, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Portland, Oregon. Portland could be on track to break a record for the duration of the hot spell, authorities said, as local governments and non-profits scrambled to expand capacity at cooling centers.

The state has roasted since Monday and temperatures at or near triple digits were forecast into the weekend. The state medical examiner’s office said the heat-related death designation is preliminary and could change after further investigation. The deaths occurred on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

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