Responding to Extreme Heat and Wildfire Smoke

Through city and building level planning, infrastructure improvements, training programs, and more, the Climate Resilience Project strives to aid Inland Northwest community members in building safety and resilience in the face of extreme heat and wildfire smoke.

We have several completed, ongoing, or planned response initiatives to achieve this goal. To learn more about the research that serves as the foundation of this work, see our Understanding Extreme Heat and Wildfire Smoke page. 

Community Climate Action Fund

The Community Climate Action Fund makes $2.6 million available to Spokane community-based organizations for justice-focused climate resilience work. 

Apply Today!

Spokane Community Resilience Hub Network 

The Spokane Community Resilience Hub Network logo shaped like a butterfly made from speech bubbles

In 2025, the Climate Resilience Project will launch the Spokane Community Resilience Hub Network, a program made possible by funding from the Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program. Visit our resilience hub webpage to learn more about the network and apply to join!

 

 

"This grant will help bolster resiliency in our community and infrastructure and allow us to provide even more support for our vulnerable populations.”  -Andrew Chanse, Executive Director of Spokane Public Library

Building Infrastructure Improvements

In recent years, the Climate Resilience Project has pursued funding that empowers our partners to make infrastructure improvements to their community buildings that contributes to cooling and cleaner air.

Community Building Improvements

  • Air quality monitors with correlating educational dashboards installed in three Spokane community centers, the Carl Maxey Center, and eight Coeur d'Alene Tribal facilities- In progress
  • HVAC system replacement for Northeast Community Center- Complete 2024
  • Solar arrays with battery backup for five Level 2 Relief Hubs as part of the Spokane Community Resilience Hub Network- In progress
  • HVAC system replacement for the Carl Maxey Center- In progress

Residential Building Improvements

  • 300 electric, high-efficiency heat pumps for low-income Spokane households- In progress
  • 54 box fan air filter kits and 11 HEPA portable air cleaners Coeur d'Alene Tribe households- In progress
  • 400 portable air cleaners for Spokane households- In progress

Smoke and Heat Planning

Guided by feedback from the Spokane Community Resilience Collaborative, the Climate Institute is partnering with the City of Spokane Office of Emergency Management to create and implement city heat and smoke readiness plans. These plans will be available for public review in March of 2025. The collaborative is also developing a Community Building Resilience Planning Tool to be made available to organizations that join the Spokane Community Resilience Hub Network.