In late October, 46 people from across the South-Central Puget Sound region gathered among the evergreen trees on Green River College’s Auburn campus to tackle a timely question: how do we communicate about extreme heat and wildfire smoke? 

The workshop was part of the South-Central Puget Sound Accelerator, C2ES’s regional resilience program, which in Washington State focuses on addressing the growing public health impacts of heat and smoke. Since May 2025, the Accelerator has convened nearly 100 organizations from across Western Washington to build resilience through collaboration, coordination, and shared learning. 

A Changing Climate in the Pacific Northwest 

Extreme heat and wildfire smoke may not be the first things that come to mind when people think of the Pacific Northwest, a region known for its foggy forests, cool mornings, and temperate climate. Yet warmer days and warmer nights are becoming a more common feature of Washington summers. At the same time, poor air quality from wildfires both near and far has become an increasingly familiar experience for communities across the region. 

Local governments, health agencies, community organizations, and businesses are grappling with how to ensure people have the information they need to stay safe under these new realities. Communicating risk is only part of the challenge. People also need practical guidance on how to protect themselves, their families, neighbors, employees, and customers, especially when heat and smoke occur at the same time. 

Convening to Connect 

The Regional Heat and Smoke Communication Workshop was designed to address this challenge head-on. 

Throughout the day, participants from public health, healthcare, emergency management, communications, business preparedness, community engagement, and climate adaptation explored how organizations can strengthen communication and coordination before, during, and after heat and smoke events. Through facilitated discussions and peer learning, participants shared successes, challenges, and ideas for improving how critical information reaches communities. 

While conversations covered a wide range of topics, several themes surfaced again and again throughout the day. 

• Relationships Matter: Participants repeatedly emphasized that effective heat and smoke communication starts with strong, trusted relationships between agencies, community organizations, and the communities they serve. Those connections cannot be built overnight and are most effective when established well before an emergency occurs. 

• Communication Needs to Go Both Ways: Participants highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for communities to share their needs, concerns, and lived experiences, not just receive information. Strong communication systems include mechanisms to gather feedback and ensure decision-makers understand what’s happening on the ground. 

• Clear and Consistent Messaging Builds Trust: A common theme was the value of coordinated messaging across organizations. When information is clear, actionable, and aligned across partners, communities are better positioned to understand risks and take appropriate action. 

• Trusted Messengers Need Ongoing Support: Local leaders, community organizations, and other trusted voices are often best positioned to connect with communities. Participants emphasized that these messengers are most effective when supported through year-round relationship-building, training, resources, and opportunities for collaboration. 

Learning from Existing Models 

Participants pointed to several organizations and initiatives that offer valuable examples for regional coordination, including the Coalition for Inclusive Emergency Preparedness (CIEP), National Weather Service tools and briefings, the Northwest Healthcare Response Network, and county-level communication hubs such as Snohomish County’s Safety Hub. 

The workshop also highlighted organizations that help bridge communication between government agencies and communities, such as Wakulima USA. Together, these organizations and their partners have built a strong foundation for trusted communication through years of relationship-building and community engagement. 

Looking Ahead 

Over the coming months, the South-Central Puget Sound Accelerator cohort, supported by C2ES, will continue building on these conversations. The cohort is working toward the development of a Regional Communications Playbook for Extreme Heat and Wildfire Smoke, along with an accompanying Communications Clearinghouse that will help organizations access and share resources across the region. 

To learn more about the South-Central Puget Sound Accelerator and opportunities to engage, visit the Accelerator’s website.