Denver, Aurora activate cooling centers during extreme, prolonged heat wave
A Heat Advisory is in effect from 10 a.m. through Thursday evening across parts of Colorado.
The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment is urging people to take care of themselves during periods of extreme heat. They advise people at risk to stay inside in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible, drink more water than usual and don't wait until you are thirsty to drink, and avoid using the stove to cook.
"If you do have to be outside, because we do acknowledge that a lot of people have jobs where they have to be outside, make sure that you are doing everything you can, reapply sunscreen as much as possible, pace yourself and rest often, pay attention- if you get any muscle cramping that can be an early sign of heat-related illness and then wear light and loose-fitting clothing," said Amber Campbell with DDPHE.
Denver Parks and Recreation has opened the rec centers across the city as cooling centers during normal business hours on Thursday to everyone looking for a space to cool off. Those designated areas will be staffed and the public will have access to drinking water, restrooms and a place to sit.
Denver Public Library locations are available to the public as an indoor reprieve from the heat. For information about library hours visit: denverlibrary.org/locations.
Residents can also call 720-865-5444 to learn the status of cooling centers.
Health experts also advise Colorado residents to check in on those most vulnerable, including pets, older adults and children.
The City of Aurora has also opened some cooling locations to the public on Thursday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
13 minutes ago
- CBS News
Flash flooding concerns have Queens elected officials looking for ways to mitigate risk
Many businesses in Bayside, Queens are still recovering after last week's flash flooding. Some elected leaders proposed an idea as a way to mitigate property damage in the storms. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said in last week's storm, Bayside saw three times the amount of flooding it normally gets in a whole month, and the infrastructure could not keep up. The roof of the Cinco de Mayo restaurant in Bayside collapsed during the flash flood. The moment was caught on video. A week later, there's still a lot of work to be done, but the ceiling has been patched, and the restaurant is open. "What are we gonna do with the business? How long it's gonna take to reopen our business? That was the worry," owner Gaspar Carrillo said. Cinco de Mayo is just one of many businesses on Bell Boulevard that rushed to reopen after the storm. "Some were closed 2-3 days, but I think it speaks to their grit and resiliency as small business owners," said Noah Sheroff of the Bayside Village Business Improvement District. The storm was so fierce, it stranded vehicles on the Clearview Expressway and the Cross Island Parkway, including a tractor trailer. Friday, Queens elected leaders called on the Department of of Transportation to install signs on the borough's flood-prone thoroughfares. "The signs we're asking for would warn drivers about flood-prone roads and encourage people not to park or drive in the event of heavy rain," Richards said. "These events are happening more and more," State Senator John Liu said. One Bayside resident was skeptical about the proposal for signs warning of expressway flooding. "The money spent on the sign, they can do something more constructive, 'cause the sign, nobody's gonna read that," she said. The elected officials agree there are also needs to be holistic infrastructure upgrades. The New York City Department of Transportation told CBS News New York it's reviewing the request.
Washington Post
13 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Residents in Alaska's capital city prepare for possible glacial flooding
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Residents and officials in Alaska's capital city prepared Friday for the possibility of glacial flooding that in past years has swept away houses, swamped several hundred homes and eroded the river fed by the popular Mendenhall Glacier. The state, federal, city and tribal officials who would run an incident command center during any flooding held a briefing to outline steps and to issue pleas to the public to be prepared.
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
California wildfires: Canyon Fire forces thousands of evacuations north of Los Angeles
The blaze erupted on Thursday afternoon and spread to more than 4,800 acres in a matter of hours, officials say. A new wildfire ignited and spread rapidly in the mountains north of Los Angeles on Thursday, forcing thousands of evacuations. According to fire officials, the Canyon Fire began around 1:30 p.m. local time near Lake Piru and has since scorched more than 4,800 acres. No structures have been burned, and no injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The fire is being fueled by onshore winds that are pushing the blaze east, away from Lake Piru but toward the communities of Hasley Canyon, Hathaway Ranch and Val Verde, officials said. About 250 firefighters have been deployed to the Canyon Fire. As of Friday morning, it was listed as 0% contained. The Canyon Fire is burning north of Castaic Lake, where the Hughes Fire burned more than 10,000 acres and forced tens of thousands of evacuations earlier this year. More than 4,200 people were under mandatory evacuation orders in Los Angeles County as of Thursday night, and another 12,000 were under evacuation warnings. L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger urged residents in the area to heed evacuation orders. 'Extreme heat and low humidity in our north county have created dangerous conditions where flames can spread with alarming speed,' Barger said in a statement to the Associated Press. 'If first responders tell you to leave, go — without hesitation.' Gifford Fire nears 'megafire' status The Canyon Fire is the latest in what has already been a busy wildfire season in California. According to Cal Fire, there are currently 13 active wildfires burning in the state, including the massive Gifford Fire in central California. That fire started north of Santa Maria on Aug. 1 and has scorched more than 99,000 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, forcing thousands of evacuations in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. The Gifford Fire will likely become the first fire in California this year to reach 'megafire' status, a term reserved for fires exceeding 100,000 acres. Three civilians and four firefighters have been injured by the fire, according to officials. More than 3,400 firefighters are currently battling the blaze, which was just 15% contained as of Thursday evening. Bone-dry conditions amid an ongoing heat wave are not helping. According to the National Weather Service, parts of central California will see triple-digit highs through the weekend, with relative humidity readings as low as 15%. See more photos of the Canyon Fire below. See more of our photo features on Yahoo News.
