GRANT COUNTY, Wash. — Monday proved to be a hot one right out of the gate at the Grant County Fairgrounds as show animals and their companions showed up and started filling up the barns.
Fairgrounds Director Jim McKiernan says they've been prepping for the heatwave's arrival too.
"In the five years I've been doing the fair, last year was the hottest," McKiernan said. "It was 105 degrees four out of the five days. All five days were over 100 degrees. This year, we may top the 105 degree mark, which makes me a little nervous."
Water is a big factor this year for people and animals.
"We provide water at each of the locations as we're doing the unload process today," McKiernan said. "So, we can spray pigs down, any animal that looks like it's in distress, we can spray them down pretty quickly."
But, David Eck and other volunteers are prepared, offering rides and carrying water coolers across the 187-acre fairground.
"My job from ten in the morning to ten at night is to look for people who need help getting back to their car or getting from their car to the fair," Eck said.
"We're going around making sure people are hydrated, making sure we're hydrated ourselves," Eck said.
Big portacoolers are keeping the show barn 10-15 degrees cooler and a little breeze coming through doesn't hurt either. Fans and misters in the barns are also keeping the animals cool.
McKiernan says there's also some added relief this year.
"We put in misting stations this year, which we have not done in a while," McKiernan said.
Every little bit helps with temps projected to top out at 107 mid-week .
"That's probably warmer than any fair I've been at," Eck said. But that's okay. That's what the fair is. Sun and shine."
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