Editor,

In response to Janet St. Clair’s article in the “Sound Off” section of the South Whidbey Record on Aug. 12:

There are so many more things that the county commissioners could do to assure Island County citizens that county government understands and embraces efforts to reduce the effects of climate change on our environment and on our public safety. Like choosing not to shy away from the controversial issues and start addressing the detrimental effects of consumer fireworks pollution on our air, water and environmentally sensitive areas.

Also, another growing concern related to climate change and global warming, fueled by what just happened in Maui, Hawaii, is the threat of a fireworks related wildfire occurring here, during the week-long 4th of July holiday celebrations.

Although the recent Maui wildfire that killed at least 93 people was not due to fireworks, we can only hope that our county government elected officials’ sensibilities are heightened that such a tragedy could easily occur here during our drier months.

“When Hawaii officials released a report last year ranking the natural disaster most likely to threaten state residents, tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic hazards featured prominently. Near the bottom of a color-coded chart, the state emergency management agency described the risk of wildfires to human life with a single word: “low.” (CNN, Hawaii underestimated the deadly threat of wildfire, records show, Aug. 12.)

Sound familiar? It should. This is exactly what our commissioners, sheriff/fire marshal and many of our local fire districts believe to be true for Island County.

Jackie Lasater

Freeland