Sequimites are taking in cooler weather after recent record temperatures, a record day of 9-1-1 calls and a momentary power outage.

A surge of 9-1-1 calls came in to local first responders on Saturday, June 26, after a Bonneville Power Administration’s transformer caught fire at a substation off Happy Valley Road.

Clallam County Fire District 3 fire crews responded around 7:25 p.m. to what was called in as an “explosion,” said Assistant Chief Dan Orr.

What resulted was the loss of power to most of the Sequim area, or about 11,128 residences/businesses mostly between Carlsborg and the Clallam/Jefferson county line, according to the Clallam PUD’s outage map that night.

Nicole Hartman, the PUD’s communications manager, said crews restored power to most locations within about an hour.

At that time of the outage, temperatures were still in the high 80s, according to the National Weather Service.

Orr said Saturday’s 24-hour period set a new record for the largest call load in that span with 54 calls. The previous record was 43 calls with what Orr and other locals called “Snowmageddon” on Feb. 8, 2019 when Sequim received its largest snowfall in 20-plus years.

Orr said a majority of callers needed help with replacing oxygen tanks, getting help out of mechanical recliners, and general heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

“Fire District 3 was able to handle all of these calls because of the hard work of the career staff that was on duty supported by our dedicated volunteers,” he said.

With about 10 volunteers on call for the day and night, Orr said the district “has some of the finest volunteers on the Peninsula and their commitment and dedication to the citizens of eastern Clallam County showed on Saturday.”

He thanks them for “making a difference” and an “awesome response.”

Beat the heat

Depending on your elevation and proximity to the water, the Sequim area’s high ranged from 97 to low 100s on Sunday and Monday.

Some area businesses either closed before the afternoon sun or closed entirely due to the heat on Sunday and Monday.

On Monday, the Olympic Theatre Arts center and Sequim Community Church advertised their space was available for cooling off in air conditioning.

Some locals and visitors went to the water for respite, such as Sequim’s Wanda Stark who took her two granddaughters to Dungeness’ Cline Spit.

The Peninsula Daily News reports neighboring cities saw some record highs, including Port Townsend at 97 degrees on Sunday while Port Angeles tied its record at 96 on Sunday and broke it the following day at 97 degrees, recorded at William R. Fairchild International Airport.

Quillayute Airport near Forks smashed an all-time temperature record Monday with a 109-degree reading at 2:53 p.m. Monday, according to automated National Weather Service observations, the PDN reported. The previous record for that 55-year-old weather station was 99 degrees set on Aug. 9, 1981.

Elsewhere, temperatures had climbed by 4 p.m. Monday to 111 in Quilcene, 110 in Brinnon and 108 in Forks.

Burn Ban

Fire District 3 officials announced last week via state and Clallam County officials that no outdoor burning in Clallam County is allowed through Oct. 1.

Recreational fires for pleasure, religious reasons, cooking and many other uses are OK so long as equal-to, or less-than 3-feet in diameter and 2-feet in height. An increase in extreme weather conditions could change this and lead to recreational fires being prohibited, fire officials report.

Disposing of debris via burning is not legal nor considered recreational, they said.

Chenelle Stark, 8, holds up one of the many clams she found while walking in the water in Cline Spit. She and sister Kieryn, 10, were visiting their grandma Wanda “Meema” Stark in town for the day. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Kristan McCargar of Benton City walks her dogs Cooper and Katie along the water Monday afternoon at Cline Spit. Dozens of people were enjoying the water while trying to cool off from the recent heat wave. McCargar said she and her family come out to catch clams and crabs, and play a little bit too. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Chenelle Stark, 8, throws a dead Dungeness crab she found in Cline Spit as her sister Kieryn Stark, 10, watches. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

A new weather station is up and running at Sequim Valley Airport, owner Andy Sallee announced this week — just in time to record a high on Monday of 98.7 degrees. Ag Weather Net installed the station that will information to local farmers, pilots and the public; view the weather readings at weather.wsu.edu/?p=90150&UNIT_ID=100301. Photo courtesy of Andy Sallee