Bend FD offers safety tips for hot, smoky holiday weekend

This weekend’s weather promises to be hot, dry, with unstable atmospheric conditions and more wildland fire smoke, possibly through midweek. These conditions are conducive to new wildland fire ignitions and may increase the rate of fire spread, creating a dangerous situation for firefighters, while increasing the smoke potential.

The Bend Fire Department has a few tips to help you stay safe and keep cool:

Drink plenty of water. Limit strenuous outdoor activity, especially if we experience a smoke incursion The mornings will be cool: open the windows early, to let heat out, then close up the house and pull the curtains, shades and drapes to keep the day’s heat out. If you use air conditioning, ensure that the filters are clean Consider using an N95 mask, available at hardware stores, to minimize smoke exposure Properly fitted, an N95 mask should offer some protection from the smoke. If you experience symptoms from the smoke, such as difficulty breathing, call 9-1-1 Spend time in the shade during the day. Evenings are expected to cool dramatically. Be very careful with any source of ignition: burning conditions are exceptionally high. Take care and stay safe around lakes and rivers.