Official Daily Action for Wednesday, June 16th, 2021
The 2020 wildfire season produced some of the worst air conditions Seattle has seen in a long time. As it began, Mayor Jenny Durkan told Seattle residents to stay indoors and close all windows and doors to minimize exposure, while failing to open up smoke shelters for the unhoused in a timely manner. Seattle did eventually open a shelter in SoDo, but it only had capacity for 77 people in comparison to the estimated number of over 5,500 people living unsheltered in King County.
Right now, a widespread drought in Eastern Washington threatens a bad smoke season this year as well. We cannot wait until late summer to start preparing. Today’s daily action is to tell your City Councilmembers to start preparing smoke shelters for our unhoused neighbors.
Action: Tell Your City Councilmembers to Prepare Smoke Shelters Now
Full City Council: [email protected]
Find your City Council Member: https://www.seattle.gov/council/meet-the-council/find-your-district-and-councilmembers
Script
Hello Councilmember [NAME], my name is [NAME] and I live in District [DISTRICT]. Last year’s smoke season was one of the worst in recent history. As widespread drought in Eastern Washington threatens a similarly bad smoke season this year, I urge you to start preparing smoke shelters for our unhoused neighbors. Last year’s shelters were sorely insufficient and we must do better this year.
Background
Seattle Times article on the 2021 wildfire season
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/really-nervous-washington-heads-into-wildfire-season-with-a-drought-and-record-number-of-early-fires/
2020 Publicola article on the insufficiency of smoke shelters in Seattle
https://publicola.com/2020/09/11/in-reversal-city-and-county-will-open-smoke-shelter-in-sodo/
