Seattle Upgrading Air Filters In City Buildings Before Wildfires

SEATTLE, WA — In preparation for another bad season of wildfires and smoke, Seattle will upgrade air filters at key public buildings. City residents will be able to use the buildings as shelter in case wildfire smoke reaches dangerous levels.

The upgraded impregnated carbon air filter systems will be installed at Rainier Beach Community Center, the International District Community Center, the Seattle Center Armory, Fisher Pavilion, and the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. Those buildings will also get air curtains and new door seals to keep smoke out.

The buildings can be used by anyone during unhealthy weather, but especially children, pregnant women, and the elderly, city officials say. The buildings also have air conditioning in case of high heat.

August 2018 was an especially miserable month for wildfire smoke. Not only were there fires burning locally, but large wildfires in British Columbia were sending waves of smoke into Puget Sound. The air quality was declared "unhealthy for all" by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency for several days.

The 2019 wildfire season is expected to be just as bad. Most of Washington is in a severe drought, and the National Weather Service Climate Predication Center is predicting a 70 percent chance of a weak El Niño this summer, which means a greatly reduced chance for rain.