Dear neighbors,
The dog days of summer have arrived. Unfortunately, this means dealing with extreme heat and wildfire smoke.
I want to share some free resources for helping you deal with both.
King County offers resource pages on wildfire smoke and extreme heat.
Additionally, the City of Kirkland has resources available here.
And here are smart ways you can protect your health:
- Consider purchasing a portable air cleaner with HEPA filter. See choosing a portable air cleaner and Best Air Purifiers of 2023 for ideas.
- Assemble your own DIY Air Filter
- Create a Clean Air Room
- Sign up for King County Alerts to receive important life-safety information from King County.
- Sign up for the Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response newsletter to receive critical updates on wildfire, heat, and smoke sheltering and other supportive efforts.
My HB 1578 recently went into effect and will help local entities be better prepared for wild fires but prevention remains key. For information on how to help prevent wildfires, please visit this resource page from the Department of Natural Resources.
We passed strong reforms this year when it comes to dealing with extreme heat–including a new law stopping utilities from shutting off power when it’s deadly hot–and I’ll continue to work on legislation and funding to prevent wildfires and fight climate change.
Stay safe out there!
Larry Springer
State Representative, 45th Legislative District