heat wave

One state adopted worker protections and saw deaths drop, while the other took no action.

Oregon’s temperatures are dipping, but last month’s heat wave solidified an unsettling trend: Extreme heat is hitting Oregon’s aging population hard.

Record-breaking heat in Redding is causing more water than usual to evaporate from California’s largest reservoir. But high water levels in Lake Shasta mean the impacts aren’t a major concern.

Two additional deaths were reported Friday morning by the Oregon State Medical Examiner, bringing the suspected death toll of the July 2024 heat wave to 16.

Utilities recommend conserving energy during the hottest hours of the day, in part to help lessen strain on the state’s power grid.

Heat waves have killed hundreds of Californians and cost billions of dollars in the past decade, according to a new report from the state insurance department.

The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Monday that it’s looking into four possible heat-related deaths between Friday and Sunday. Another suspected heat death has been reported in Coos Bay.

Friday saw record temperatures in several Oregon cities, including Medford, according to the National Weather Service.

The declaration helps the state move resources and funding to hard-hit communities.

The abnormally high temperatures coming later this week, part of a multiyear warming trend in Oregon, are prompting public health concerns in a state where many homes lack air conditioning.

As Independence Day looms, so too does a heat wave that's expected throughout Southern Oregon and Northern California. The combination of strong winds, low humidity and firework use is increasing the threat of wildfires.

After five years, a state occupational health board approves rules to protect workers from extreme heat indoors. They will take effect in August, but state prisons will not be covered.