Heat Smoke Fire Annual Dispatch: Difference between revisions
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:''See also: [[Severe Weather Operations: Heat]]'' | :''See also: [[Severe Weather Operations: Heat]]'' | ||
NETs keeping themselves safe is particularly true for ''any'' deployment during the summer. | NETs keeping themselves safe is particularly true for ''any'' deployment during the summer (whether the deployment itself is heat related or not). Volunteers accepting an assignment during hot weather should complete heat awareness training and also review the Wiki article linked above. | ||
=== Promoting Heat Safety Awareness in Communities === | |||
NETs act as PBEM's community ambassadors. We encourage NETs who are also leaders in their community to promote heat/fire/smoke safety in their communities through social media and community meetings. The most appropriate public-facing information to promote in communities is found on PublicAlerts.org, where there are individual pages for [https://www.publicalerts.org/wildfire wildfires], [https://www.publicalerts.org/wildfire-smoke wildfire smoke], and [https://www.publicalerts.org/heat extreme heat]. | |||
We encourage NETs to promote PublicAlerts.org pages at the start of each summer, and at any time we anticipate a heat, fire, or smoke event. | |||
==== Public Safety Power Shutoffs ==== | |||
When temperatures are high '''''and''''' winds are high, utility companies may call a public safety power shutoff (PSPS) to proactively de-energize the grid to help prevent wildland fires. If NETs receive questions about PSPSs, we encourage volunteers to direct folks to [https://portlandgeneral.com/outages-safety/public-safety-power-shutoffs Portland General Electric's official PSPS page]. | |||
==== Firework Safety ==== | |||
=== Participate in Fire Fuel Mitigation === | |||
=== Volunteer at Cooling Spaces and Cooling Shelters === | |||
== Heat Smoke Fire 2026 == | == Heat Smoke Fire 2026 == | ||
Revision as of 11:44, 10 June 2026
Climate change events are steadily taking the foreground as the most widespread life safety threat in the Portland Metro region. The purpose of this page is to help NET volunteers track on information and resources year to year concerning extreme heat events. Extreme heat events cause heat-related illnesses and deaths, wildland-urban (WUI) fires, and wildfire smoke inundation. This page is also intended to clarify the role of NET volunteers in responding to extreme heat events.
This article is divided into two sections: perennial (or "evergreen") resources, and summer to summer breakdowns for situational awareness.
The Role of NET Volunteers in Extreme Heat Events
The first priority for NET volunteers is to keep themselves and their families safe during extreme heat events.
NET Deployments in Hot Weather
- See also: Severe Weather Operations: Heat
NETs keeping themselves safe is particularly true for any deployment during the summer (whether the deployment itself is heat related or not). Volunteers accepting an assignment during hot weather should complete heat awareness training and also review the Wiki article linked above.
Promoting Heat Safety Awareness in Communities
NETs act as PBEM's community ambassadors. We encourage NETs who are also leaders in their community to promote heat/fire/smoke safety in their communities through social media and community meetings. The most appropriate public-facing information to promote in communities is found on PublicAlerts.org, where there are individual pages for wildfires, wildfire smoke, and extreme heat.
We encourage NETs to promote PublicAlerts.org pages at the start of each summer, and at any time we anticipate a heat, fire, or smoke event.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs
When temperatures are high and winds are high, utility companies may call a public safety power shutoff (PSPS) to proactively de-energize the grid to help prevent wildland fires. If NETs receive questions about PSPSs, we encourage volunteers to direct folks to Portland General Electric's official PSPS page.
Firework Safety
Participate in Fire Fuel Mitigation
Volunteer at Cooling Spaces and Cooling Shelters
Heat Smoke Fire 2026
2026 Informational Materials
| Release Date | Title | Authoring Agency |
|---|---|---|
| 2026.06.02 | Message to City Employees re Heat Prep | PBEM |
| 2026.05.28 | PBEM Small Business Bulletin "Heat Preparedness" article | PBEM |
| 2026.05.26 | Regional Joint Information System meeting materials re: Heat Fire Smoke public messaging | R-JIS |
| 2026.04.__ | Oregon Air Quality Activity Guide for Children and Youth | Oregon Health Authority |
| 2025.12.19 | Heat Adaptation and Management Report | Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability |
| 2023.04.__ | Home Forward Indoor Temperature Assessment (press article here) | PBEM/Home Forward |
2026 Relevant Heat Fire Smoke Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2026.05.27 | COAD Heat Tabletop Exercise |
| 2026.05.27 | McCullough Research Wildfire Presentation |
2026 Heat Fire Smoke Media
| Date | Articles |
|---|---|
| 2026.05.20 | AccuWeather predicts ‘persistent wildfire risk’ in the Northwest in 2026 |
| 2026.05.20 | Wildfires in western U.S. likely to be bigger, more powerful in 2026, report finds |