Northwest Residents Concerned About Wildfire, But About 25% Don’t Prepare

The majority of Washington and Oregon residents (82%) have some level of concern about growing wildfire dangers, but only about one-in-four are taking precautions to combat the impacts of smoky air or fire before it becomes an immediate threat, a new poll shows.

A poll by carrier PEMCO Mutual Insurance of Washington and Oregon residents also shows a discrepancy in the attitudes of Eastern and Western Washington residents. Respondents in the Seattle Metro area were twice as likely to be indifferent to threat of fire compared with Spokane counterparts (22% vs 11%).

Nearly nine-in-10 Spokane residents, on the other hand, had at least some concern about the risk of wildfire, the poll shows. Spokane County recently experienced a wildfire in the Dishman Hills area that put numerous homes at risk.

“We see that our communities are paying attention – the warmer and drier our climate gets, the more we’re experiencing frequent and severe weather events like wildfires,” stated PEMCO Spokesperson Jennifer Hawton. “But we also see that there’s a gap in knowledge – or action – in what residents can do to prepare. At PEMCO, we champion safety above all else. That’s why we’re focused on sharing with those around us how they can help keep their family, their neighbors and our communities throughout the Pacific Northwest safe.”

PEMCO’s poll shows 95% of residents worry about the air being polluted, with one-in-three respondents agreeing that the smoky air conditions impact their health. The poll shows respondents statewide are more likely to buy an air purifier to prepare for wildfires. Half of all those polled say they have purchased an air purifier for their home to prepare for wildfires.

More than half (52%) of residents will change their daily routines when the air quality is bad, followed by 24% who say they will avoid being outdoors altogether when the air quality is bad.

PEMCO commissioned Qualtrics to survey Washington and Oregon residents questions about attitudes toward current Northwest issues. The sample size included 420 respondents in the Seattle Metro (King, Snohomish, Pierce Counties) region, 402 respondents in the Portland Metro (Multnomah, Marion, Clackamas, Washington Counties) region, and 383 respondents in the Spokane area.