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Tips to help Pierce County residents stay safe during natural disasters

Stories by Tacoma News Tribune journalists, with AI summarization

Staying safe during natural disasters takes preparation and awareness. Pierce County faces the threat of a volcanic eruption, earthquakes, and wildfires. Pierce County ALERT is one system that keeps residents updated in an emergency. Experts have advice for how residents can prepare for natural disasters in the South Sound.

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.

The sun rises behind Mount Rainier as seen from Tumwater, Washington, on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

NO. 1: IS PIERCE COUNTY AT HIGH RISK FOR EARTHQUAKES? VOLCANOES? YES, ACCORDING TO FEMA REPORT

FEMA’s National Risk Index ranks U.S. counties by how vulnerable they are to natural disasters. Here’s what’s at risk in Pierce County. | Published March 15, 2024 | Read Full Story by Rosemary Montalvo

The panoramic and breathtaking view of the south rim of Mount Saint Helens, looking past a still venting lava dome north toward Spirit Lake and Mount Rainier, is awe inspiring but scientist are focused on a repressurizing of the magma chamber below the mountain. Scientist will be conducting explosive “active imaging events,” and deploying thousands of seismic sensors and 70 passive sensing arrays this Spring and Summer as part of a battery of multidisciplinary imaging experiments collectively called iMUSH for Imaging magma Under St. Helens. By Dean J. Koepfler

NO. 2: COULD A WA VOLCANO ERUPT AGAIN IN OUR LIFETIME? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AND HOW YOU CAN PREPARE

The historic Mount St. Helens eruption occurred 44 years ago, but it still remains an active volcano today. | Published May 14, 2024 | Read Full Story by Karlee Van De Venter

People sit along the Ruston Way Waterfront with a view of Mount Rainier in the background as they wait for the fireworks show to begin during Tacoma’s 4th of July Summer Blast in Tacoma, Wash. on Monday, July 4, 2022. By Cheyenne Boone

NO. 3: CNN CALLED RAINIER THE US VOLCANO TROUBLING SCIENTISTS THE MOST. HOW WOULD TACOMA FARE?

No one knows when the mountain will next erupt. | Published August 13, 2024 | Read Full Story by Simone Carter

Dan Wehmeier told The News Tribune Jan. 15, 2025 he’s clearing land as part of a 77-acre wildfire fuel reduction project on the Key Peninsula through his forestry management company, Wehmeier LLC. Brush close to the ground can ignite and lead to a wildfire, he told The News Tribune.

NO. 4: COULD PIERCE COUNTY QUICKLY EVACUATE DURING A WILDFIRE? SOME WOULD HAVE TO ESCAPE BY WATER

A wildfire protection plan that’s in the works should include information about areas of Pierce County with heightened wildfire risk. | Published January 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Julia Park

Puget Sound Energy repair crews work to replace several downed power poles and lines along Rainier Road Southeast near Horizons Elementary School in Lacey on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022 after a Friday night storm turned the lights out for thousands in the area. Early Saturday morning, Puget Sound Energy’s outage map showed over 90 outage locations in Thurston County; about 200,000 were estimated without power throughout Western Washington. Some river flooding was reported, but most rivers were receding by mid-day Saturday. Rain was expected to return Saturday night and continue through Monday. By Steve Bloom

NO. 5: STRONG WINDS BRING PIERCE CO. POWER OUTAGES. HOW TO PREPARE, WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOSE POWER

As strong winds continue to cause power outages in Pierce County and beyond, here are some tips to help prepare and get through. | Published January 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by Rosemary Montalvo

Tank the dog plows through the snow as he walks with Samantha Varrone and Tanner Hansen along Vista Place in Tumwater, Washington, on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021. By Tony Overman

NO. 6: HERE ARE TIPS TO KEEP YOUR DOG SAFE DURING THE BITTERLY COLD WEATHER AFFECTING WASHINGTON

Our furry friends are susceptible to the freezing cold temperatures. Here are four tips to follow to make sure your dog is safe and warm. | Published January 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Rosemary Montalvo

Downed power lines will be one of many headaches facing Tacoma's new public utilities director, writes columnist Bill Virgin. By Janet Jensen

NO. 7: LINES ARE DOWN ACROSS WESTERN WA, HERE’S WHAT TO DO IF YOU ENCOUNTER ONE, GENERATOR SAFETY

Tuesday’s bomb cyclone caused power lines to go down, which left over hundreds of thousands of people without electricity across western Washington. | Published November 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Rosemary Montalvo

This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.