SPOKANE — As high temperatures and wildfire smoke threaten the Inland Northwest this week, local organizations are ensuring the most vulnerable members of the community have a safe place to survive the dangerous weather.
Wildfire smoke has become a yearly occurrence in the Inland Northwest. Just because it is becoming more familiar doesn’t mean our bodies are any more accustomed to it.
“Wildfire smoke is harmful to public health, to our individual health. The particles are so fine that they bypass our body’s normal defense systems,” Lisa Woodard of the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency said.
That’s why Smoke Ready Spokane wants the public to know how to avoid it. The program is a partnership between three local agencies and provides a one-stop resource through its website for how to stay safe during smoky weather.
“It’s all about awareness and education, about wildfire smoke. So anywhere from you know where to get your current air quality, how to sign up for air quality notifications, where to get information on improving your indoor air quality,” Woodard said.
The website provides information on everything from what residents need to do to prepare to what air filters they can purchase for their homes. It also provides a list of community spaces where people can go to escape the smoke — called resilience hubs.
Spokane has 11 resilience hubs throughout the city, offering residents a refuge when air quality becomes unhealthy. These hubs include the Northeast Community Center and the Martin Luther King Jr Community Center.
“If there is a smoke incident or heat or cold, the public is able to come into this space and find shelter, resources, education and tools,” said Jene Ray, a representative of one of the resilience hubs.
The Martin Luther King Jr Community Center recently installed a microgrid on its facilities so it can stay open and continue offering those services if the power ever goes out. All of these hubs have air sensors both inside and outside of their buildings to track the air quality.
A full list of these spaces as well as information to improve air quality in your own home can be found on SmokeReadySpokane.org.
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