Report on Wildfire Impact on Air Quality and Sustainable Development Goals in Washington State

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being & SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Air quality in Washington State has been significantly impacted by regional wildfires, posing direct challenges to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). While the Greater Seattle area experienced moderate air quality due to smoke remaining at high altitudes, communities in the northeast quadrant of the state faced hazardous conditions. Air Quality Index (AQI) readings in these eastern areas registered as “unhealthy” and, in some locations like Kettle Falls, “very unhealthy.”

These conditions compromise community health and urban air quality, undermining the goal of creating safe and resilient human settlements. To mitigate immediate health risks and support public well-being, officials have issued the following recommendations for affected populations:

• Remain indoors with windows closed.
• Utilize air purifiers and high-quality filters.
• Wear a protective mask when outdoors.
• Seek out designated cooling shelters if necessary.

A forecast of lower temperatures and precipitation offers potential short-term relief, which could improve air quality and temporarily restore healthier conditions within communities.

SDG 13: Climate Action & SDG 15: Life on Land

The prevalence of multiple large-scale wildfires highlights critical issues related to SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). The fires, exacerbated by hot and dry weather patterns consistent with climate change effects, represent a significant threat to terrestrial ecosystems. The degradation of forests and natural habitats directly impacts biodiversity and the sustainable management of land.

The primary sources of the smoke pollution are several major fires, indicating a substantial loss of forested land:

1. Bear Gulch Fire: Nearly 10,000 acres in Olympic National Forest.
2. Perry Fire: 1,300 acres near Ross Lake, Whatcom County.
3. Wildcat Fire: Over 5,000 acres near Mount Rainier.
4. Lower Sugarloaf Fire: Over 6,000 acres north of Wenatchee.
5. Rattlesnake Fire: 6,000 acres in Ferry County.
6. A cluster of fires in and around Stevens County.

These events underscore the urgent need for robust climate action to address the root causes of increased wildfire frequency and intensity, thereby protecting life on land and ensuring the long-term health of the planet’s ecosystems.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • The article extensively discusses the health risks associated with poor air quality from wildfire smoke. It mentions air quality levels as “unhealthy” and “very unhealthy,” directly linking the environmental conditions to human health and well-being. The advice for people to “stay indoors,” “wear a mask,” and use “air purifiers” underscores the immediate health concerns.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The impact of the wildfires is analyzed in the context of populated areas like the “Greater Seattle area,” “Spokane,” and “Kettle Falls.” The article focuses on how the smoke affects the air quality within these communities, making urban and residential environments unsafe and requiring public health precautions.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article implicitly connects the wildfires to climate-related factors by noting that they “perked up in the last couple of days on the east side of the state, given the hot and dry weather patterns of late.” Increased frequency and intensity of wildfires are widely recognized as a consequence of climate change, making this a climate-related natural disaster.
4. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The article explicitly states that the fires are occurring in terrestrial ecosystems, specifically forests. It names several fires burning in natural areas, such as the “Bear Gulch fire in Olympic National Forest” and the “Wildcat fire near Mount Rainier.” This highlights the direct destruction and degradation of forests and the ecosystems they support.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
   • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The wildfire smoke is a form of severe air pollution, and the article’s focus on “unhealthy” air quality and necessary health precautions directly relates to preventing illnesses from this environmental hazard.
2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality. The article’s central theme is the degradation of air quality in Seattle and other communities due to wildfire smoke, which is a significant adverse environmental impact on urban populations.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The wildfires, exacerbated by “hot and dry weather patterns,” represent a climate-related natural disaster. The community advice to take precautions is a form of adaptive response to this hazard.
4. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests… The article details the destruction of thousands of acres of forest land (e.g., “Olympic National Forest”), which is a direct setback to the conservation of these ecosystems.
   • Target 15.3: By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil… Wildfires are a major cause of land degradation, destroying vegetation and damaging soil, which aligns with the goal of restoring degraded land.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 3 and SDG 11:
   • Indicator: The Air Quality Index (AQI) level. The article explicitly references the AQI and its qualitative categories: “moderate,” “unhealthy” (red), and “very unhealthy” (purple). This is a direct measure of air pollution (related to SDG Indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter in cities) and its corresponding health risk (related to SDG Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to… ambient air pollution).
2. For SDG 13 and SDG 15:
   • Indicator: The area of land burned by wildfires. The article provides specific data on the scale of the fires, such as the “nearly 10,000-acre Bear Gulch fire,” the “1,300-acre Perry fire,” and the “more than 5,000-acre Wildcat fire.” This quantifies the extent of the natural disaster (SDG 13) and the area of forest ecosystem degradation (related to SDG Indicator 15.1.1: Forest area as a proportion of total land area).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: seattletimes.com