Spokane’s Climate Wake-Up Call | Spokane News

Spokane’s facing a climate emergency — with heat domes and wildfire smoke threatening lives. A new report from the Gonzaga Climate Institute warns the city must act now, citing a 353% spike in poor air quality days since 2015 and the deadly 2021 heat wave that killed 20 people. The Spokane Community Resilience Collaborative, including city leaders, Avista, and health officials, is pushing for urgent changes: lowering cooling and clean air center triggers to 90°F and AQI 150, turning them into permanent resilience hubs, retrofitting trusted community spaces, updating building codes for better filtration and efficiency, and making public transit free or cheaper during air quality crises. City council is reviewing the plan — some fully on board, others wary of costs — while the climate institute aims to embed these reforms in next year’s comprehensive plan. This isn’t just about comfort — it’s about saving lives. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5151e26de9c6c85f