East Valley

Here's the deal

Scroll through the slides below to learn about climate risks

The East Valley climate zone faces unique climate threats, but there are many ways to address them.

The East Valley climate zone encompasses Sylmar, San Fernando, and borders along the 5 and 210 freeways. Further inland than its counterparts, the East Valley climate zone is subject to periods of extreme heat, the urban heat island effect, air pollution, and wildfires. There are a lot of ways to adapt our neighborhoods to better deal with these effects, ways to plan our cities more sustainably to avoid future impact. We’ll explore some solutions and concepts that can be tailored at the neighborhood level in these slides.

It gets hot in the East Valley...and it’s going to get hotter.

East Valley sees an average of 22 days of extreme heat (days above 95°F) throughout a given year. That number is projected to increase to 60 days sometime between 2041-2060 if we don’t lower greenhouse gas emissions. The end of the century is even more concerning, where extreme heat days are expected to increase further to 86 days by 2070-2099. Still, those numbers can be reduced to 47 days of extreme heat per year for mid-century and 61 days per year for end of century projections if aggressive steps are taken now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The urban heat island effect can raise temperatures up to 22°F, and East Valley is no exception.

Urban heat islands typically push temperatures up 1.8-5.4°F during the day and as much as 22°F in the evening. Overall electricity demand and peak demand will continue to grow as more people stay inside in these hot, condensed areas. Higher energy demand will strain electrical grids, and lead to rolling blackouts. Extreme heat kills more people in the US than any other natural disaster. For example, increased heat increases the chances of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, as high temperatures continue on into the night, a time period during which the body needs to rest and recover.

Heat increases pollutants and fuels wildfires that dramatically worsen the air quality in East Valley.

The recent wildfires in Southern California, brought air quality to extremely dangerous levels, making it unsafe to be outside. Additionally, heat increases the formation of ozone (smog) and hot roads cause more wear-and-tear on tires, which put more harmful particulate matter in the air. The increase in ozone and other pollutants in the air will cause health problems to the residents there, such as chest pain, coughing, throat irritation, and airway inflammation. In addition, these poor air quality conditions will be especially dangerous for those with asthma and allergies or those subject to cardiovascular and respiratory disease.

Wildfires already pose a risk to the East Valley, and that is only going to get more serious.

As wildfires have become more reoccurring in Southern California, fires threaten to get closer to the East Valley and cause more damage. If nothing is done to lower emissions, an average of 16.0 hectares are projected to burn per year between 2035-2064 in this area. The area is at risk of losing up to 32.0 hectares in one year as a projected worst-case scenario. Between 2070-2099, an average of 14.6 hectares are projected to be burned per year with the projected worst-case scenario being 36.0 hectares burned in one year.

Let's Fix it

We can beat the heat

With cool pavement and cool roofs installed in the region, we can reflect 20-60% of solar energy back into space, thereby cooling the area. Trees and shade cover can also bring surface temperatures down by up to 40 degrees. Tools like Treeviewer show how much tree coverage East Valley has, as well as the potential for new trees. Currently, parts of East Valley have up to 5% to 8% less tree coverage than the county average, showing that there is potential for new trees to cool the area and advance equity. By taking these steps, East Valley will be better prepared for extreme heat days.

Clean air is possible

Through urban greening, air quality monitoring, and reducing pollution, East Valley can transform its air quality. Tree canopy and ground-level vegetation absorb and disperse pollutants, and they can reduce heat at the same time. An air quality monitoring plan will keep track of the amount of pollutants in the region and allow people to take precautions like using pollution masks or avoiding outdoor activities. Lastly, by improving the accessibility of active and public transportation, we can address both air quality issues but also heat issues. For example, bus shelters can reduce heat and encourage bus ridership, thus addressing heat and air quality issues at the same time. Overall, these methods can lower the amount of cars and the pollutants produced from them, thereby improving air quality in the East Valley.

Let’s build wildfire resilience

Clearing excess dry brush and plant life around homes can provide defensible space to prevent fires from spreading. An expert eye can also catch issues like ventilation systems that allow embers to enter a residence, and a need for nearby water sources. Tax increment finance or other measures can help fund these resources. For communities not immediately at risk of wildfire, the threat of wildfire smoke is still very real. Indoor air filtration systems, air quality monitoring programs, and access to pollution masks are all important measures to keep people safe.