Portal del Ayuntamiento de Bilbao

The Bilbao City Council, in response to the yellow alert due to persistent high temperatures announced for the upcoming days, recommends to all citizens – and especially to children, the elderly, and those with health problems – to avoid sun exposure, increase fluid intake, and avoid physical exertion during peak temperature hours.

Additionally it offers a series of tips to deal with high temperatures:

• Drink fluids, between 1 and 1.5 liters daily, including water and natural juices, even if not thirsty, and in a more controlled manner, especially for children and the elderly.
• Eat light meals and increase consumption of salads, vegetables, and fruits to replenish lost minerals due to sweating.
• To keep the home cooler, lower the blinds, and at night, open the windows.
• Refresh frequently with showers or towels soaked in water, use fans, air conditioning, or fans.
• If you have to go out, avoid the hottest hours of the day.
• Wear light clothing and use sunscreen and sunglasses.
• Protect your head from the sun with a hat or cap.
• Pets also need to consume more water and it is advisable that during the central hours of the day they can rest in a cool and dry space.

The City Council emphasizes the need to pay special attention to the appearance of heatstroke symptoms:

• Reddened skin with a feeling of hot and dry skin.
• Increase in the number of breaths per minute and accelerated heartbeats.
• Headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, fever.
• Changes in mental state and behavior such as: vertigo, disorientation, delusions, confusion, or loss of consciousness.

PROVISIONAL SOURCES

To make the heatwave more bearable, the Bilbao City Council has installed ten provisional sources in the busiest areas of the city. These provisional sources, placed in different columns and water points, will reinforce the network of 535 public water points distributed throughout the city.

The ten provisional sources will be located in the following points:

• Gran Vía, 4 (corner with Berastegi).
• Gran Vía, 63
• Avenida Montevideo, 16 (next to Basurto Hospital).
• Lutxana, 6 (corner with Hurtado de Amézaga).
• Sabino Arana, 19 (corner of Víctor Chavarri square).
• Plaza San José
• Lehendakari Aguirre, 162
• Doctor Areilza in front of number 32.
• Blas de Otero, 36
• Plaza Bombero Etxaniz, 4

CLIMATE SHELTERS

The Bilbao City Council also has facilities or spaces that meet appropriate conditions to preserve or alleviate the population from extreme temperatures, as well as to mitigate the negative effects of extreme heat on health.

Bilbao currently has 131 climate shelters. There are 65 indoors and 66 outdoor spaces. 96% of the population of Bilbao is within 300 meters of one of them, and 43% are within 100 meters.

The indoor spaces that serve this function are libraries, civic centers, sports facilities, transport stations, museums, exhibition halls, and shopping centers, among others. These are generally air-conditioned buildings that have water and areas to cool off.

The outdoor climate shelters are green areas of the city that, due to their vegetation and shade, improve the thermal sensation of people, providing a natural protection on hot days. In addition, the city’s water sources and areas can also be a good ally against the heat to cool off and hydrate.

These places are especially useful and recommended for the most vulnerable population, who can take shelter and avoid heatstroke, which in extreme cases can cause vomiting, palpitations, loss of consciousness, or even death, especially in children or the elderly, who usually have less capacity to withstand extreme temperatures.

You can check the complete list of the Climate Shelter Network

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