The Environmental Protection Agency announced the grant last week as part of an $8.24 million package for environmental justice projects in Washington. The county was allotted $999,839 to build climate change resiliency from wildfires and protect health through smoke disaster preparedness.
"As wildfires become increasingly destructive here in Washington state, it's imperative that we improve our preparedness, especially for our most vulnerable populations," said U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier in an EPA news release. "This investment will do just that by helping to strengthen climate change resiliency and smoke disaster preparedness in Chelan County."
According to the project description, North Central Washington by 2050 is expected to see its fire season become two weeks longer, and "smoke episodes" will become two to three times more severe.
The project will help define regional and county-level disaster preparedness that ensures the protection of the most vulnerable populations in Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties.
Local governments will partner with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and local organizations, along with Spanish-speaking communities that have been "historically isolated" from fire information and smoke preparedness, the release said.
The project is intended to build on previous work by the Chelan County Department of Natural Resources and the Methow Valley Citizens Council /Resilient Methow "to ensure that health districts and emergency management integrate effective and culturally appropriate practices for ensuring the safety and health of these vulnerable populations."
This includes plans to create a new Climate Change, Health, and Equity Program at the Chelan-Douglas Health District and to streamline disaster preparedness and response procedures for "smoke events," the release said. The funds will also cover a low-cost air quality sensor network and box fan filter distribution program.
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