YAKIMA, JANUARY 30, 2023 — The American Red Cross helped 23 individuals affected by four home fires in Yakima County within the last week. Three of those fires happened in Yakima City, the fourth in Union Gap.  

The frequency of home fires in the last week and historically in Yakima is what earned the County the distinction of having the highest rate of home fires in all of Washington State.

See the data here. https://home-fire-risk.github.io/smoke_alarm_map/#about

The home fire risk project uses machine learning techniques that leverage data from the U.S. Census, the American Red Cross and the National Fire Incident Reporting System to predict aggregate neighborhood home fire risk based on the following criteria: 

• Risk - No Smoke Alarm: The increased likelihood that homes within a census tract lack functioning smoke alarms. 
• Risk - Home Fire: The prevalence of home fires in a census tract over a 5-year period. 
• Risk - Fire-Related Injury: The increased likelihood that a home fire could result in an injury or death.

ABOUT THE HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN 

Home fires take seven lives each day in the U.S., most often in homes without working smoke alarms. That’s why the Red Cross is working with partners to install free smoke alarms in high-risk communities and help families create escape plans through its Home Fire Campaign — which has saved at least 1,505 lives across the country since launching in October 2014.   

For 2023, the Northwest Region of the American Red Cross has named Yakima our Home Fire Campaign signature city. On April 22, teams of volunteers and community partners will participate in a Sound the Alarm event to install free smoke alarms in high-risk homes and develop home fire safety and prevention plans with the people who live there.  

“Our hearts go out to our neighbors who are impacted by home fires,” said Michele Roth, Central and Southeastern Washington Chapter Executive Director. “It takes all of us to make our community safer. We hope the community will join us as partners and volunteers this April to Sound the Alarm about the threat of home fires.”  

For home fire safety resources and tips, visit redcross.org/nwhomefire or download the free Red Cross Emergency App (search “American Red Cross” in app stores or go to redcross.org/apps).   

About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.