MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. — Multnomah County and the city of Portland will open three cooling centers Monday afternoon, as temperatures are expected to climb to 106 degrees. They were open on Sunday when Portland International Airport saw its first 100-degree day of the year.
The cooling centers will be open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, in addition to the Lloyd Center Mall, which will run on regular mall hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Here are the cooling centers:
- Multnomah County East at 600 Northeast 8th Street in Gresham
- Cook Plaza at 19421 Southeast Stark Street in Gresham
- Old Town Cooling Center at 435 Northwest Glisan Street in Portland
- Lloyd Center Mall at 2201 Lloyd Center in Portland
Multnomah County East will be staffed by Multnomah County employees, Cook Plaza will be staffed by Cultivate Initiatives, and Old Town Cooling Center will be staffed by Do Good Multnomah.
“We actually have a lot of locations that we’re sort of setting up," Chris Voss, Multnomah County's Director of Emergency Management said. "Some as cooling centers but also as places that people normally go.
TriMet will also be offering fareless rides to cooling centers for those who cannot afford the fare on public transit between 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. during the extreme heat emergency. Riders should plan ahead and communicate to drivers that they will be headed to a cooling center.
Misting stations and splash pads are also available for the public to stay cool.
The county is also urging people to cool off in rivers, lakes and streams while swimming safely. Toxic algae has been found on the Willamette River in Portland waterways at Sauvie Island.
The county may open additional cooling centers. Anyone needing transportation to a shelter should call 2-1-1. Updated information on cooling shelters will be posted here.
Multnomah County and the city of Portland declared an emergency for the days with the largest heat risks