As of 4 p.m. on Aug. 18, 2026, Public Health – Seattle & King County is recommending that people and pets stay out of the water at the swimming areas of Houghton Beach Park and Juanita Beach Park for at least one week due to elevated bacteria levels. Signs will be positioned to indicate that people and pets should stay out of the water. The rest of Houghton Beach and Juanita Beach Parks remains open.

Water quality staff from the King County Water and Land Resources Division tested the water recently and found that the levels of bacteria at these beaches exceeded safe thresholds for bacteria based on the samples collected. King County crews will return to the beaches next week to collect further samples.

For additional details, visit King County’s Lake Swimming Beach Data webpage. Updates will be posted on the City’s website.

Kirkland firefighters have been helping communities across Washington respond to wildfires this summer. Most recently, one crew spent 14 days on deployment, responding to four fires in Eastern Washington: the Railroad Fire near Vantage, Ransier Fire in White Swan, Bradeen Hills Fire north of Fort Spokane, and Autumn Lane Fire in Spokane. Their work included putting out hot spots, clearing brush and hazardous trees, creating fire lines, and protecting homes as fires moved toward nearby neighborhoods.

More than 18,000 firefighters are currently working on wildfires across Oregon and Washington, and many areas have needed extra help. Kirkland firefighters reported that every fire they responded to needed more resources. In addition to crew deployments, individual KFD firefighters have been called to wildfires based on their specialized training. They are filling roles in helicopter operations, emergency medical support, communications, and incident management.

When communities across the region need additional resources, Kirkland firefighters are ready to help. The experience gained on these deployments also helps strengthen the service they provide here at home.

Learn more about the Fire Department.

We can’t control disruptions or disasters, but we can prepare for them. That’s the role of Emergency Managers. During active incidents, they put plans into action to make the community safer.

Here in Kirkland, our Office of Emergency Management activates the City’s Emergency Operations Center when needed to coordinate information, response, recovery, and community impacts. Emergency Managers organize chaos and bring together responders and supporting departments to address a situation. They work with local, state, and national leaders to advocate for and request assistance to address community needs.

It’s also crucial to keep the public informed during a disaster or disruption. Emergency Managers facilitate information gathering and sharing so the public can take action to help themselves and others. This involves continuously looking at risks and hazards to provide safety alerts and warnings, plus sharing information about what to do and how to prepare for different scenarios.

In honor of Emergency Management Awareness Month, we thank the Emergency Managers who are looking out for us all! Learn more about Emergency Management in Kirkland.

Get ready for the return of City Hall for All! Every year, the event celebrates the work in Kirkland communities to become welcoming places for everyone. It’s a family-friendly gathering with something from everyone, including a fixer fair, live music, a pop-up market, Truck-a-Palooza, and more. 

CH4A will take place on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 12 to 4 p.m. at Kirkland City Hall (123 5th Ave.). This year, two new features have been added: a Children’s Business Fair and a Mini Belonging Parade. Bring family, friends, or neighbors and enjoy the civic celebration! 

For more information or to get involved, visit www.kirklandwa.gov/CityHallForAll. 

School starts in just a couple of weeks, which means school zone speed cameras will be back on beginning Monday, Aug. 31. Drivers should watch for flashing school zone lights and slow to 20 mph when they’re active.

School zone speeds are generally enforced for 30 minutes before and after the start of school and 30 minutes before and after dismissal. On 84th Avenue NE, the combined school zone near Finn Hill Middle School, Carl Sandburg Elementary, and Henry David Thoreau Elementary has a longer 2.5-hour enforcement period because of the schools’ different schedules.

Whether or not there’s a camera, keep an eye out for students walking, biking, and rolling to school and give yourself a little extra time to get where you’re going during the morning and afternoon rush.

Learn more about camera locations, enforcement times, and Kirkland’s school zone safety camera program on the City’s website.

No matter how much experience you have, driving always carries a risk. Because motor vehicles are the biggest and the fastest on the roads, their drivers must be the safest. Watching out for more vulnerable road users like bicyclists makes our streets safer for everyone.

• Share the road. Bicycles are legal vehicles, so bicyclists are entitled to ride on the roadway.

• Give space. When passing a bicyclist, leave a safe distance. This must be at least 3 feet, but it’s ideal to give an entire lane’s distance when it is safe to do so. If you have less room to give, slow down as you pass.

• Exercise caution. Be prepared to slow or stop around bicyclists, especially at night and during inclement weather. Bicyclists may not always use hand signals to indicate movements, so be aware of clues such as head turns or lane shifts to help you anticipate their movements.

• Look twice. If you’re turning, changing lanes, or going through an intersection, take a second look in case there’s a bicyclist you didn’t see the first time.

• Be patient. Keep your cool around bicyclists, even if you’re in a rush. It’s better to be safe than save time.

• Stay focused. Distracted driving is more dangerous for you and everyone around you. Keep your attention on the road — not on your phone, passengers, the radio, etc.

Safe driving takes commitment, every single time you get behind the wheel. Learn about Kirkland’s Transportation Safety Action Plan.

National Dog Day is Wednesday, Aug. 26, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate with your four-legged family members. Take an extra-long walk around the neighborhood, explore one of Kirkland’s parks or trails, or simply break out the good treats at home.

It’s also a good time for a quick pet check-in. Make sure your dog’s ID tags and contact information are current, and check that their Kirkland pet license is up to date. Pet licenses help Animal Services quickly reunite lost pets with their families.

Pet licenses are available for one or two years, with discounted rates for pets that are spayed or neutered. Learn more about pet licensing, update your information, or purchase a license on the City of Kirkland website.

Drivers should expect traffic delays and restricted parking due to the Kirk-Wood Half Marathon, to be held at Northwest University on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026. Vehicles parked in restricted areas will be towed. The course map is available at https://snohomishrunning.com/kirk-wood-half/.

Roadway impacts will be in effect from 6:30 a.m. until approximately 9 a.m. or when the last runner passes. Event organizers expect 500 athletes to take part in the run/walk, which follows the Cross Kirkland Corridor and finishes in Woodinville.

Eventgoers are encouraged to use event shuttles and plan for their parking in advance. For information on off-site parking and shuttle service, go to https://snohomishrunning.com/kirk-wood-half/. For bus transportation, go to http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/.

The City of Kirkland is still running its Neighborhood Stores and Services Community Survey! The survey is for members of the Kirkland community to share their perspectives and ideas about possible changes to City regulations that would let people open small-scale neighborhood businesses in residential areas. The potential code amendments would make it easier for local entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses, support more walkable and connected neighborhoods, and expand access to everyday goods and services.

Feedback from community members will help shape critical components of the project, like allowed business types, hours of operation, location requirements, and more. City staff will review survey responses, analyze concerns and ideas, and communicate the feedback to decisionmakers to help inform their guidance on the code amendments. If you’d like to weigh in, visit kirklandwa.gov/neighborhoodstores and complete the survey by Sept. 30, 2026.

Adults ages 50+ and their families are invited to the Senior Resource Fair. The fun community event is coming up from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Peter Kirk Community Center (352 Kirkland Ave.) on Thursday, Sept. 17. It’s an opportunity to get questions answered and connect with helpful resources in your area.

At the fair, you’ll be able to get information on a variety of local services for older adults. These include resources related to health, wellness, legal assistance, transportation, senior living, and more. Visit the event page.

Autumn is sneaking up on us. If you’re considering a furnace replacement, it’s the perfect time to learn about how heat pumps can keep your home comfortable year-round while reducing energy use. Heat pumps can both heat and cool your home efficiently — and many households qualify for rebates that make switching easier than ever.

Join Energy Smart Eastside for a free virtual workshop from 7 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22 on Microsoft Teams. Staff will walk you through:

Whether you're just exploring options or are ready to upgrade, this workshop is a great place to get reliable, local, and unbiased information. Energy Smart Eastside is part of the Eastside Climate Partnership comprised of the Washington cities of Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, Mercer Island, and Sammamish. Register here for the workshop.

For more information about heat pumps and Energy Smart Eastside, visit https://www.energysmarteastside.org/learn.

A group of five site selectors — professionals who help businesses select their next home — visited Kirkland on Wednesday, Aug. 12 as part of a regional tour by Greater Seattle Partners (GSP). The tour stopped at Lake Washington Institute of Technology, where Deputy Mayor Neal Black welcomed the group. LWTech also hosted a panel of industry partners for the group, including representatives from Amazon Leo and Boeing.

Events like these help put Kirkland on the radar of key players who help businesses decide where to expand or move. Throughout the event, site selectors learned about the strong partnerships between industry and academia that support workforce development in our region. The tour was an opportunity for Kirkland to showcase its many assets for business success, from our highly educated workforce to the innovation and collaboration that occurs here.

Interested in learning about starting your business in Kirkland? Visit the City’s website for business resources.

Mobile Blood Drive at City Hall  

Date: Thursday, Aug. 27

Time: 9:15 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

Location: Peter Kirk Conference Room (Downstairs) | Kirkland City Hall | 123 5th Ave. 

The summer season is tough for our community’s blood supply. Book an appointment through Bloodworks Northwest and spend just one hour donating one pint of blood to save a life. Make an appointment today.

For information about blood donation, including eligibility requirements, please visit www.BloodworksNW.org.

For more events from the City, visit our Community Events page. For up-to-date happenings around Kirkland, visit ExploreKirkland.com/Events.

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