Summer Smart is a collaborative initiative to help our community "weather the weather". Amid increasing summer wildfire smoke and extreme heat, we can be more physically and mentally healthy and resilient, helping those most at risk as we go. Our goals + how we got started are here. 

Scroll down for how you can prepare today for the smoke of tomorrow, plus links to partners, shade solutions, and more. Learn more about HEPA portable air cleaners here.  

May 2020. We're updating our COVID-19 + wildfire smoke information via our companion montanawildfiresmoke.org website. More soon!

Why do we need to be "Summer Smart"?

Summer in Missoula is a beautiful time of year, with outdoor adventures beckoning and our town abuzz. But summers often bring days of sweltering heat and wildfire smoke into our valley. Some years are worse than others, but as our climate is changing, hotter temperatures and smokier skies are becoming more common. From warming trends to changes in snowpack and wildfires, explore the climate context of our changing summer conditions. ​
What's the problem with a little  wildfire smoke in the air? Plenty. Find out what the risks are, who is most at risk, and what we can do to keep ourselves, our families, and our community healthy.  
Fires Burning Nearby? That's a different story than smoke. Learn more about which fires are burning where and what you might consider HERE.
We're surviving hotter days. We're living with warmer nights.  What are the risks form extreme heat and how do we stay cool, content, and connected?

​There's more to learn than you might think, and more we can do to help take care of the most vulnerable in our community. 
What are the local indicators of our changing climate, and why do they tell us we need to be summer smart? Temperatures and precipitation patterns are shifting right here in western Montana. We are digging into what that means for our summers, today and into the future.
Check out these RESOURCES linked above!
​
Climate affects mental health, too. Click HERE to learn how the changes we are experiencing can impact individual and community mental health, as well as how they can help us grow into a happier, more resilient, and more equitable community.

Summer Smart History

In 2016 Climate Smart Missoula received a Bloomberg Award for Partners for Places - a project of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities. Thank you Bloomberg Philanthropies! and Funders' Network.  This grant was a partnership with the City of Missoula and the Missoula Community Foundation, and was matched by numerous community partners.  Years 1 and 2 of Summer Smart catalyzed new partnerships for both short-term, tangible actions and long-term planning and network building, all to help Missoulians be physically and mentally healthy and resilient amidst changing summer conditions. We're growing this effort and seek continued partner involvement and support.
 
View our one-pager to learn more about how Summer Smart began and what we did in the first year. If you would like to support this initiative, please contact Amy Cilimburg.
​
Year 1 helped us develop many of the resources linked here.  Additionally we hosted a very successful Community Health and Climate Summit.  

Summer Smart Goals

  • Develop and strengthen networks to address community and individual understanding of, and responses to, the increased risks of wildfire, smoke, and heat.
  • Strengthen safety nets for the most vulnerable in our community facing heat and wildfire smoke health risks.
  • Link and build momentum for high priority sustainability strategies from our Community Climate Smart Action Plan.
  • Bring the arts, creativity, and hope to this challenging issue, while continuing to share the science and the risks.