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Recognizing the devastation caused by the wildfires to the Los Angeles community, the accelerating rate of climate change, and calling on the City of Philadelphia to provide the funding and resources necessary to fully update and implement human-centered climate mitigation and resilience plans.
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WHEREAS, The Eaton and Palisades wildfires in Los Angeles, California, have taken the lives of at least twenty-seven people and forced thousands out of their homes since January 7, 2025; and
WHEREAS, First responders, including hundreds of incarcerated firefighters, have put themselves in harm's way to protect their communities. Neighbors are opening their homes to those displaced by the destruction, and volunteers are distributing emergency supplies; and
WHEREAS, The effects of climate change, including exceptionally dry, hot, and windy weather, set the stage for the wildfires in Los Angeles to spread quickly across neighborhoods, according to experts from the World Meteorological Organization; and
WHEREAS, The underlying weather conditions that contributed to the wildfires are becoming more common, as 2024 marked the hottest year on record in Philadelphia and across the globe. Climate experts project that temperatures will only continue to rise in the coming years, making the past's most pessimistic predictions today's best-case scenario; and
WHEREAS, Rising temperatures will continue to have real impacts on the quality of life for Philadelphia residents. The City's childhood asthma rates are already far above national levels due to air pollution exacerbated by hot temperatures. Hotter temperatures put individuals who work outdoors at greater risk of suffering from heat-related illnesses; and
WHEREAS, Projections also show that Philadelphia will face more annual rainfall and more extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, cyclones, and tidal flooding. These trends spell out a future with more frequent and severe flooding citywide, bringing to mind mem...
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