Oregon's on alert as 2017 solar eclipse approaches

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Faith Cathcart/2012

By Amy Wang | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Oregon is on alert as the first state to experience the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse’s “path of totality.”

With up to 1 million eclipse watchers expected to flood into a state with a population of 4 million, the potential for problems is real.

The biggest concern? Traffic jams for several days not just before but also after the eclipse. Traffic officials are advising folks to get in place early and then give roads time to clear before they head home.

Here’s a look at the precautions that agencies and businesses are taking, and their tips for eclipse watchers.

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Joseph Rose

Traffic

State and local agencies anticipate heavy traffic surrounding the path of totality from Thursday, Aug. 17, through Tuesday, Aug. 22.

"If you are in the path of totality, it is a good idea to stay home," an Oregon Office of Emergency Management representative wrote during an online forum on Reddit.

The state will halt road construction, paving and non-emergency maintenance work during peak eclipse traffic. Permits for over-width trucks will be suspended from noon Aug. 19 until 12:01 a.m. Aug. 22. Oregon Department of Transportation teams will be stationed along highways to keep traffic moving.

If nature calls while you’re on the interstate, an Oregon Office of Emergency Management representative offered this reassurance in the Reddit forum: “The organizations running the rest areas are providing increased staffing, equipment, planning to ensure they are able to meet higher demand.”

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Joseph Rose/2012

Tips: Expect your trip to take a lot longer than normal. Treat it like a holiday weekend and pack snacks and water. For traffic updates, check Tripcheck.com, call 511, or follow the Oregon Department of Transportation's Twitter feed: @OregonDOT.

If you’re on a highway when the eclipse starts, don't pull over to watch. Oregon State Police say it’s against the law, and drivers who do so could be cited or towed.

Officials are recommending that drivers fill their gas tanks by Wednesday, Aug. 16.

If you have to work on Aug. 21 and can telecommute, "it might be wise to decide to work from home," ODOT spokesman Don Hamilton said.

Don’t carry extra gasoline – that can be dangerous if your vehicle overheats or you get into a crash.

16 things to have in your car for a solar eclipse road trip

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Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Public safety and health

Gov. Kate Brown has authorized deployment of National Guard soldiers during the eclipse.

911 centers will be fully staffed for the day. State police and local law enforcement agencies in many cases will have extra officers on duty.

In far-flung municipalities as Ontario, in eastern Oregon in the eclipse’s path of totality, city officials say it's all hands on deck for police and first responders. The days surrounding the eclipse also are blackout dates for vacation requests within many public safety agencies.

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Tips: "If you are pregnant or have a serious chronic illness, I would make sure to stay close to a hospital," an emergency planner wrote in the Reddit forum. "Make sure prescriptions get filled ahead of time." Have a healthy supply of medical equipment such as diabetic syringes and catheters.

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Cell phone service

Oregon Emergency Management urged people to be prepared to lose cell service as more visitors increase the load on networks.

The eclipse’s path of totality carves through largely rural areas, where cell service can be spotty at best.

AT&T will deploy eight portable cell towers across the country, including in Madras and Mitchell. Verizon spokeswoman Karen Schulz said Verizon will deploy portable towers in Madras and Bend. T-Mobile will also boost coverage by expanding its network capabilities and deploying temporary towers. Oregon’s Jefferson County is trucking in mobile cell towers.

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Tip: Text instead of calling – texting uses less bandwidth.

If you’ll be on the road, bring paper maps. "Cell phones won't be able to access maps because we only have so much bandwidth,” said Jennie Demaris, Lincoln County emergency manager.

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Courtesy of U.S. Forest Service

Wildfires

The National Guard will aid in fire containment across the state. The eclipse coincides with the peak of Oregon's fire season. Already, one wildfire has cut off access to trails to Mount Jefferson and Jefferson Park through the eclipse, and fire restrictions in the Mount Hood National Forest have resulted in campfire and smoking bans outside designated areas into October.

Chief among state officials’ concerns are campers who either don't know about fire dangers, or don't care about the rules. On top of that is a fire danger that's especially high this summer: dry grasses that could be ignited by vehicles.

Officials are planning on alerting travelers to campfire bans via electronic signs on the highway, and in some cases, driving to campgrounds to check on people.

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The Oregonian/OregonLive file photo

Tips: Know campfire safety. It's best to use a campfire pit, ideally one that's ringed by metal or rocks. Leave lots of room around the campfire and keep it small, especially if it's windy. Always have water nearby. Before turning in for the night or heading home, extinguish your campfire completely by dumping water on it, stirring the ashes and dumping more water. If you run out of water, smother the ashes with dirt or sand.

Have your car, RV or off-road vehicle serviced before taking it into an area that’s vulnerable to wildfires. An overheated vehicle or a spark can start a fire.

If you smoke, do so in designated areas and dispose of cigarette butts safely. A still-smoldering butt that’s tossed into dry vegetation can easily start a wildfire.

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Terry Richard/2015

High tide

One of planners' big concerns is the 9.54-foot high tide expected on the central Oregon coast around midnight the night before the eclipse. "We're going to have visitors who have no idea what our waters are like or even, as crazy as it sounds, that we have tides," said Jim Kusz, North Lincoln Fire & Rescue spokesman.

"We're probably going to do a sweep the evening before and tell people if you are planning on being on the beach that night you might want to consider being higher up or off the beach completely," Kusz said.

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Jamie Hale | The Oregonian/OregonLive

Tips: Avoid logs in the surf or on wet sand; a high tide can carry large items over beachgoers. Stay off rocks close to shore if you're not sure when the tide is coming in; you could end up stranded. Stay within arm's length of small children playing in the surf.

Never enter the ocean to save somebody; instead, call 911 and keep visual contact with any victims.

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Jamie Francis/2009

Utilities

Officials do not expect any problems with the region’s power grid.

“We are working with the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) and they are coordinating with local utility companies to ensure that power and any other utilities are available and backed up appropriately to provide the highest level of service possible,” a representative of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management wrote on Reddit.

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Jamie Hale and Annie Ma of The Oregonian/OregonLive, freelancer Lori Tobias, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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