August 2, 2022 10:20 a.m.

Roseburg’s cooling center was open for seven days in a row, providing unhoused people and elderly residents with shelter from the extreme heat wave.

A City of Roseburg release said the center is not expected to be open this week with high temperatures forecast to be in the 80s and 90s. Senior Center volunteers ran the cooling center, which is partially funded by the City from July 25th through July 31st. An average of 54 people a day came, seeking an escape from the heat.

Hot weather conditions that trigger the opening of the cooling center are:

*Forecasted high temperature of 102 degrees or more

*Forecasted temperatures of 95 degrees or more, with additional factors and considerations that would reasonably cause a person to be at increased risk of exposure to heat, including: precipitation, humidity, wind, duration and potential for cumulative effects and overall weather patterns

The release said community partners provided assistance to the cooling center last week. The United Community Action Network paid for all guest’s lunches and dinners, provided fresh fruit, snacks and water, and gave the senior center an awning so volunteers monitoring showers or people waiting to use them didn’t have to wait in the heat. Aviva Health brought a medical van Friday and Saturday.