By Ben Olson
Reader Staff
The dog days of summer have arrived.
A wave of higher temperatures will hit North Idaho this weekend, with Friday and Saturday’s forecast calling for high 80s, with Sunday’s high estimated to be 92 degrees Fahrenheit.
Aubrey Lynn Cushman, 10 and her brother Nathan Allen Cushman, 8, from Grass Valley, Calif. jump into Lake Pend Oreille at the Sandpoint City Beach on Wednesday. Photo by Ben Olson.
The mercury will top out Monday, July 30, with a forecasted high of 97 degrees before relief comes mid-week as temperatures dip back into the low- to mid-80s the rest of the week.
The forecast for nearby Spokane, Wash., is calling for even higher temperatures in the triple digits.
In order to keep cool during heat waves, authorities recommend drinking more water than usual and limit direct exposure to the sun during midday, when the sun is hottest.
Also, never leave children or pets in hot cars.
The current Fire Danger Index for the Idaho Panhandle National Forest is currently rated at “high,” but with no precipitation scheduled in the forecast for the next two weeks, expect this rating to reach “very high” soon.
Idaho Department of Lands reported that there have been 76 fires on state protected lands this year, 60 of which were human caused. There is no restriction on campfires yet, but authorities stress to never leave a campfire unattended, and when putting the fire out, drown, stir and repeat until the fire is dead out and cold to the touch.
Remember, if it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave unattended.
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