As the blistering weather reached near the 90s on the afternoon of Aug. 15, Arin Agarwal, Remy Frederick and Pete Pratt dipped into the cooling waters of Lake Washington adjacent to Groveland Beach Park.
Soon, the trio busted out a rubber ball as one Islander tossed it across the water and a pair of friends battled to grasp it as they splashed into the heavenly blue haven.
Other park-goers took the athletes’ cue and popped into the water for a refreshing time amidst the scorching heat that slammed the state during the week.
Like it’s done before when Mother Nature unleashed searing temperatures, the city of Mercer Island welcomed residents into the air-conditioned confines of the community and event center to get a respite from the heat.
At press time, the city noted that local parks were seeing typical activity for what a similar warm streak brings when Washington gets hit in the high-weather realm.
Over at the Mercerwood Shore Club, facilities manager Karl MacLane gave the lowdown about what’s been happening in their bailiwick: “There has been a noticeable increase in the number of people swimming in the pool and the lake, both in total number and how long they are staying in and around the water.”
Mary Wayte Pool general manager Keith Freeman said they have not witnessed an increase in the number of pool users since they still utilize a state-mandated COVID health emergency reservation system to limit the amount of swimmers in the facility. He said they will retire the system — which they began implementing in the third week of June of 2020 — on Aug. 31, 2023.
Mason Luvera, the city’s communications manager, said that the Island’s interim deputy fire chief Doug McDonald noted that his staff hadn’t received an increase in emergency responses and hadn’t identified any heat-related calls at press time.
Islanders are encouraged to remain hydrated during the heatwave, Luvera added. More tips by way of the city include calling 911 or heading to the emergency room if someone suffers from heat stroke; texting or phoning vulnerable family members or neighbors to make sure they are safe and cool; and never leaving children or pets in a hot car.
Also on the heat front on Aug. 15, King County issued a Stage II complete burn ban on all outdoor recreational fires, noted Amanda Keverkamp, the city’s emergency management leader.
“This ban is issued during the driest of conditions due to fire safety concerns and based upon several factors, including red flag warnings, increased temperatures, low relative humidity, and low fuel moisture content,” reads the city’s website.
When traveling, people are reminded to always cross hanging chains when towing a trailer or boat so they don’t throw sparks, Keverkamp said. Also, parking on tall, dry grass is discouraged because the vehicle’s undercarriage can easily start a wildfire.
For more information on the burn ban, visit https://www.mercerisland.gov/fire/page/outdoor-burning.
