Get Ready for Summer: Heat and Wildfire Preparedness
Sunny days in the Methow have a way of drawing us outside to our favorite trails, backyard gardens, and evenings on the porch. Summer here is something to savor. But as the season shifts, it's also time to think ahead. A little preparation now can make an enormous difference when the heat rises or the smoke looms overhead, and Methow At Home is right here with you every step of the way.
Get Ready for Heat
The 2026 summer forecast is shaping up to be a warm one. Experts are predicting above-normal temperatures across Eastern Washington, so it's worth thinking now about how to keep yourself comfortable and safe. On hot days, small adjustments to your routine and environment can go a long way.
One important thing to keep in mind: after age 60, our bodies don't regulate heat quite as efficiently — we simply don't sweat as much. That means extra precautions matter more than ever. The Washington Department of Health has helpful guidance, including an Extreme Heat Preparedness Checklist worth bookmarking before the season heats up.
Get to a Cooling Center
You don't have to tough out a heat wave alone. Methow At Home will be connecting with local cooling centers to gather and share their hours so you always know where to turn. Now is a great time to think ahead: Does a neighbor or friend have a generator if the power goes out? Do you know where your nearest cooling center is?
The Grange will serve as a cooling center in Twisp and the library in Winthrop will be available during regular business hours. FOWL board members may be able to open the library community room afterhours as well. We’ll do our best to communicate specific hours during times of extreme heat, so make sure to follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
Get in the Water
Sometimes the best remedy for a hot afternoon is the simplest one: get in the water. Our rivers and lakes offer beautiful, refreshing swimming holes, and the Wagner Pool in Twisp is a wonderful community resource. Their 5:15pm "Adult Swim" sessions run several days a week, offering two lap lanes plus open water for walking, exercising, or just floating peacefully. Admission is $8 per session for adults 65 and older, with punch cards and season passes also available. Find the pool schedule here.
Get a Breath of Fresh Air
Wildfire smoke is a real concern each summer, and health officials continue to learn more about its long-term effects. What we do know: once the Air Quality Index (AQI) hits 150, everyone should limit time outdoors.
Keeping your indoor air clean doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. A simple box fan with a furnace filter attached works remarkably well — the Washington State Department of Ecology even made a video showing exactly how to build one and has tested its effectiveness.
Good news: Methow At Home will again be distributing replacement air filters for Instant air purifiers this summer (for the AP300 model). Adults age 65+ are invited to take one filter per household at one of these events:
July 1st, 9–11am — MV Community Center, by the gymnasium
July 9th, 1–3pm — The Cove parking lot
Get Your Go Bag Ready
A go bag should contain a collection of the essentials you'd need to survive and stay connected for at least 72 hours. Think food, water, medications, clothing, personal items, and don't forget a bag for your pets too.
If you haven't packed yours yet this season, now is the time. Emergencies can quickly strain the valley's limited supplies, so stocking up before you need to is always the smarter move. If doing it all at once feels overwhelming, try a gentler approach: add one emergency item to your cart each grocery run, or refill a few jars and bottles with tap water to tuck away. Small steps add up.
Get Your Home Ready
Your home can be made more resilient against wildfire, and there's real help available to do it. Homeowners can request a free home risk assessment through the Okanogan Conservation District, which may also offer resources to help put firewise recommendations into action.
Join Methow At Home and Fire Adapted Methow Valley on July 16th as we visit a Methow At Home member's property for a live home assessment. It's a wonderful opportunity to see the process firsthand and learn:
What a Wildfire Ready Home Assessment actually involves
How to identify ways to reduce wildfire risk on your own property
Simple, practical steps to strengthen your home's resilience before fire season peaks
Tech Tips for Disasters
Staying informed about wildfire activity and evacuation alerts is one of the most important things you can do — and today's technology makes it easier than ever, as long as you know how to use it.
A few tools worth having on your phone:
Watch Duty — real-time wildfire tracking with alert notifications for your area
Methow Air / Purple Air — local air quality monitoring
Okanogan County Emergency Alerts — sign up at okanogancounty.gov
The Red Cross also offers a suite of free, no-login-required apps — Emergency, CPR, First Aid, and even Pet First Aid — that provide tutorials, weather and disaster alerts based on your location and show nearby Red Cross shelters.
Need help setting any of these up? Our Tech Cafe volunteers are ready to walk you through it, one step at a time. Check our events calendar to find the next session and schedule your appointment.
Get a Plan in Place Now
Emergencies rarely announce themselves and they can arrive suddenly, in moments when we're least prepared. That's why having a plan in place beforehand is so valuable. Preparation gives us the ability to act clearly and quickly, even in the middle of stress and chaos.
If you have questions about local resources or just want to know how Methow At Home can support you, please reach out. We're not an emergency response organization, but we are deeply committed to helping every community member feel ready, connected, and cared for — before any emergency arrives.
You don't have to figure this out alone. We're here.