'Nowhere is safe': heat shatters vision of Pacific north-west as climate refuge
Source: The Guardian
Nowhere is safe: heat shatters vision of Pacific north-west as climate refuge
Residents of the region, known for its mild weather, are facing a shifting reality
Oliver Milman
@olliemilman
Thu 22 Jul 2021 07.00 BST
The recent heatwave that broiled the US Pacific north-west not only obliterated temperature records in cities such as Seattle and Portland it also put a torch to a comforting bromide that the region would be a mild, safe haven from the ravages of the climate crisis.
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An old joke in Seattle is that you will know more people with a boat than people with air conditioning and the latest figures show just 44% of households in the city are fitted with air con. The Pacific north-wests image as a place of rugged natural beauty, comfortable climes and forward-thinking politics has helped draw plenty of newcomers Seattle was the fastest-growing major US city last year but the freakish heatwave has provided a sobering reality check to its blossoming status as a refuge.
There are a lot of people moving up from California with the idea theres a lot of natural amenities and a lot of cheap space but all of these factors are changing, said Jesse Keenan, an expert in climate adaptation at Tulane University. Its becoming less affordable and is increasingly burdened by forest fires, terrible smoke, flash floods and these heatwaves that suddenly make things a matter of life or death.
The Pacific north-west has heated up by an average of 2F (1.1C) over the past century, with growing wildfires, failing coastal fisheries, receding snowpack and increasing heat taking its toll upon a region historically unprepared for such extremes. The recent heatwave would have been virtually impossible without human-induced climate breakdown, scientists have said.
Communities in the north-west face a monumental task to adapt to this shifting reality, Keenan said, requiring the upgrading of homes, businesses and public buildings with proper cooling, increasing shade with more tree cover, making urban surfaces more reflective to the heat and retooling an electricity grid ill-equipped for huge power surges in summertime.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/21/pacific-northwest-heatwave-dome-climate-change