Olympia reaches triple-digit heat, endangering people and pets

The City of Olympia was one of the hottest places, reaching up to 102 degrees on Sunday.

The Old City Fire House at 201 Capitol Way North is being used as a daytime cooling center through Monday.

The organization Interfaith Works has stocked up the air-conditioned facility with cold refreshments, snacks and food.

More than 100 people showed up to spend time in the cool air. 

"I saw some pretty severe sunburns and people who said they were feeling pretty bad," said Roz Catlin of Interfaith Works. "This is unprecedented weather and we want to help anybody in the community. Everybody in the community."

The cooling center is taking donations including bottled water, sunscreen and aloe vera beginning Monday at noon.

Thurston County declared the hot weather a "Code Red" emergency until Tuesday at noon.

It turns out the extreme heat proved to be too much for Josephine Maurer’s family dog.

"He was a senior dog and he couldn’t breathe really great, so when the heat hit he was really struggling to breathe," said Maurer. "The vet said it was kinder to let him go because he was 14-and-a-half and you know he was just struggling."

Sunday and Monday will go down in the record books for extreme heat, and now for Maurer’s family, it will forever be the day the family had to say goodbye to their dog.

"This is the time to just get help, and you know take care of yourself and your loved ones," said Maurer.