Editing Puyallup, Washington (section)

===Volcanic risk===

Downtown Puyallup and nearby neighborhoods lie within the hazard zone for [[lahar]]s that could be produced in a moderate or large eruption of nearby [[Mount Rainier]]. The city's position on the Puyallup River is downstream of the western flank of Mount Rainier, which has the highest potential for producing far-traveled lahars due to the abundance of weakened clay-rich rock at high altitudes.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Driedger |first1=Carolyn L. |last2=Scott |first2=William E. |year=2008 |title=Mount Rainier - Living Safely with a Volcano in your Backyard |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3062/fs2008-3062.pdf |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=March 20, 2024}}</ref> The entire Puyallup Valley is built on deposits of the 5,600-year-old [[Osceola Mudflow]], which deposited as much as {{convert|98|ft|m}} of material and was similar to largest lahars Mount Rainier could produce.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 3, 2023 |title=Significant Lahars at Mount Rainier |url=https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mount-rainier/science/significant-lahars-mount-rainier |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref> A 2009 study by the [[United States Geological Survey]] (USGS) determined that Puyallup has the highest number of dependent-population facilities, public venues, and overall community assets within lahar hazard zones.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Wood |first1=Nathan J. |last2=Soulard |first2=Christopher E. |year=2009 |title=Community Exposure to Lahar Hazards from Mount Rainier |page=1 |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2009/5211/sir2009-5211.pdf |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=March 20, 2024}}</ref> The [[Washington State Department of Natural Resources]] estimates that the Puyallup Valley could experience $6–12 billion in damage from a major lahar.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Cakir |first1=Recep |last2=Walsh |first2=Timothy J. |date=May 2012 |title=Loss Estimation Pilot Project for Lahar Hazards from Mount Rainier, Washington |page=1 |url=https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/ger_ic113_mt_rainier_lahar_hazards.pdf |publisher=[[Washington State Department of Natural Resources]] |accessdate=March 20, 2024}}</ref>

To combat lahar danger, Pierce County maintains the [[Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System]], implemented in 1998 by the USGS. The system includes lahar warning sirens and volcano evacuation route signs.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 8, 2023 |title=Monitoring Lahars at Mount Rainier |url=https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mount-rainier/science/monitoring-lahars-mount-rainier |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref> The Puyallup city government and [[Puyallup School District]] have also taken part in annual lahar exercises to prepare the community and test warning systems.<ref>{{cite news |last=Needles |first=Allison |date=May 6, 2019 |title=Kids will flood the streets of Puyallup and Orting this month. It's part of a drill. |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/puyallup-herald/article229957164.html |work=Puyallup Herald |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref> The 2014 drill included 5,000 students at all schools in the district; [[Puyallup High School]] was fully evacuated within four minutes and the first group of students reached a designated high-ground area in nineteen minutes.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cafazzo |first=Debbi |date=September 30, 2014 |title=Puyallup students earn praise during massive school lahar drill |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/education/article25884598.html |work=The News Tribune |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref> The March 2024 drill included 45,000 participants across the region and was the largest lahar evacuation drill that the USGS described as the "world's largest".<ref>{{cite news |last=Hunt |first=Katie |date=June 26, 2024 |title=Why Mount Rainier is the US volcano that troubles scientists most |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/23/science/mount-rainier-volcanic-eruption-lahar-scn/index.html |publisher=[[CNN]] |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref>