Protect What You Love - Dorothy Edwards Visual Journalist

Living in the Methow Valley where wildfires have become more common, Liberty Bell Jr. Sr. High School seniors Icel Sukovaty and Sally Thornton-White have directly felt the effects of climate change. Thornton-White says that being ready to evacuate has become normalized for her life and it is a big part of what motivates her activism. Sukovaty says her life-long friend's passion for fighting climate change has helped motivate her too. “We lived with fires and flooding and things that have been ravaging our homes and we’ve gotten used to this,” Sukovaty says. Sukovaty grew up on her family's farm. When the family has been under level three evacuations during wildfires, her family has always chosen to stay on their farm with their animals. “It was something we were defending, we needed to take care of our land," Sukovaty says. "It’s my childhood home, it's everything I’ve ever known.” Thornton-White says since growing up in the Methow Valley, she has seen a decrease in fish population, a melting snowpack, and plastic in remote parts of the mountains. "This is a place I love and want to come back and raise my kids and with the rate of climate change, that might not be possible," she says. Both girls are on Liberty Bell Jr. Sr. High School’s track team. During wildfires the smoke has gotten so bad that the athletes can't use the school's track, let alone be outside at all, so they have relied on a community gym to let them use their stationary exercise bikes to train. On March 11 as a part of her senior project, Thornton-White organized a group of 11 students, including Sukovaty, to visit Olympia to talk to their state representatives about how their community is being impacted by climate change. The group provided personal testimony and advocated for five different pieces of legislation. Thornton-White said she remembers a lot of the media attention being on how bad the air quality was in Seattle last year, but she says that for residents in the Methow Valley, it was much worse. "It was the worst air quality in the country," she says.

Icel Sukovaty, front left, and Sally Thornton-White lead the Methow Valley Climate March through downtown Twisp on April 19, 2019. Living in the Methow Valley, where wildfires have become more common, they have directly felt the effects of climate change. Thornton-White says the ever present possibility of evacuation is a big part of what motivates her activism. "We lived with fires and flooding and things that have been ravaging our homes and we've gotten used to this," Sukovaty says.

Liberty Bell seniors Sally Thornton-White, left, and Icel Sukovaty during their AP English class on April 18, 2019. On March 11, as a part of her senior project, Thornton-White organized a group of 11 students, including Sukovaty, to visit Olympia to talk to their state representatives about how their community is being impacted by climate change. The group provided personal testimony and advocated for five different pieces of legislation.

Sally Thornton-White, center, talks with track teammates before practice on April 18, 2019. During the summer, when the track teams normally train, wildfire smoke made it impossible to be outside. Thornton-White recalls a lot of the media attention focused on the bad air quality in Seattle, but she says that for residents in the Methow Valley, it was much worse. "It was the worst air quality in the country," she says.

Members of the Liberty Bell Junior Senior High School track team do laps around the track during practice on April 18, 2019. Both Sally Thornton-White and Icel Sukovaty are on the team. During wildfires the smoke has gotten so bad that the athletes can't use the school's track, so they have relied on a community gym to let them use their stationary exercise bikes.

Left: Icel Sukovaty grew up on her family's farm. When the family has been under Level 3 evacuations during wildfires, her family has always chosen to stay on their farm with their animals. “It was something we were defending, we needed to take care of our land," Sukovaty says. "It’s my childhood home, it's everything I’ve ever known.” Right: Growing up in the Methow Valley, Sally Thornton-White says she has seen a decrease in fish population, a melting snowpack and plastic in remote parts of the mountains. "This is a place I love and want to come back and raise my kids and, with the rate of climate change, that might not be possible," she says.

Evidence from previous wildfires in the Methow Valley.

The community-led Methow Valley Climate March moves through downtown Twisp on April 19, 2019.

Sally Thornton-White practices her speech to herself before speaking to her community following the Methow Valley Climate March. She said she felt nervous and had been reading her speech to Icel Sukovaty for practice. "It's a nerve-racking thing to get up in front of your community like that," Sukovaty says after the speech. "She really brought it to life."

After giving her speech, Sally Thornton-White is embraced by her mother, Jeanne. "It's great to know adults care about what we have to say," she says.

A rainbow appears over a section of scorched trees from previous wildfires in the Methow Valley on April 19, 2019.