The earthquake danger most Seattleites think about isn't necessarily the one most likely to hit soonest, new research suggests.

Why it matters: While those fearing an earthquake apocalypse typically worry about the well-documented Cascadia subduction zone, a new study shows smaller faults branching from the Seattle fault zone rupture much more frequently and closer to home.

What they found: The research published this month in the Geological Society of America focused on shallow fault strands within the Seattle fault zone, running from Bainbridge Island toward Bellevue, per the authors.

• Ruptures within the Seattle zone over the past millennia have been dominated by these smaller branching strands, which have slipped about every 350 years, the study found.
• The most recent of those events likely occurred in the early 19th century, based on radiocarbon dating and tree-ring analysis.
• By contrast, the Cascadia subduction zone — the source of the feared "Big One" — ruptures every 550 years or so and last slipped around 1700.

The findings suggest the Seattle fault zone is more complex than previously understood — and may have produced more earthquakes than scientists had previously documented, Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, told Axios.

What they're saying: These secondary fault ruptures are likely to be more destructive for Seattle than a Cascadia event, Stephen Angster, a U.S. Geological Survey geologist and the study's lead author, told Phys.org.

Reality check: Tobin said the study doesn't suddenly make the Seattle zone newly dangerous.

• "We knew the Seattle fault is active," Tobin said. "That means it's had earthquakes in the past and it can have earthquakes in the future."
• But the findings do reinforce the need to strengthen older buildings — especially unreinforced brick and stone structures — because even moderate shallow earthquakes can cause significant structural damage to masonry.

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Repairs to Seattle's historic Pioneer Square pergola could begin this week after it was damaged by exuberant fans celebrating the Seahawks' Super Bowl win.

The big picture: The pergola — built in 1909 — is a frequent victim of Seattle celebrations because of its scalability and location in the heart of one of the cities' street party spaces.

• Police asked people to stay off the pergola after the win, but it didn't work.

State of play: An estimated $12,000 to $17,000 of damage was done to dozens of the pergola's glass roof panels, Seattle Parks and Recreation spokesperson Christina Hirsch told Axios.

Driving the news: Money for the repairs was raised within days after the Seattle Parks Foundation launched a fundraiser asking 12s to donate $12 or more to help cover repairs and support damaged public spaces.

State of play: The department said it appreciates the Seattle Parks Foundation's fundraising efforts.

Flashback: The historic landmark was built in 1909 to cover the stairwell entrance to a lavish underground public restroom — finished with Alaskan marble, brass fixtures and terrazzo floors — and to double as a shelter for streetcar passengers at Pioneer Place.

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📑 The deadline to complete Seattle's renter's survey has been extended to 11:59pm Friday, Feb. 20, as Mayor Katie Wilson seeks more input from tenants about housing affordability in the city. (MyNorthwest)

🚫 Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck has proposed a one-year moratorium on new or expanded jail and detention facilities within city limits amid concerns about federal immigration detention centers. (Seattle Times)

📷 Amazon-owned Ring has canceled its planned partnership with license-plate recognition company Flock Safety amid heightened scrutiny and backlash over surveillance and law enforcement access to home security footage. (GeekWire)

The Washington state Senate passed an income tax on millionaires yesterday, sending the proposal to the state House for further debate.

Why it matters: Washington is one of only nine states in the U.S. without an income tax, a distinction voters have repeatedly protected at the ballot box.

Zoom in: The millionaire tax bill, which cleared the Senate on a 27-22 vote, would take effect in 2028, applying a 9.9% tax to gross annual income above $1 million.

• It is expected to raise more than $3.5 billion per year and affect about 20,000 taxpayers statewide — less than 1% of Washington households.

What they're saying: Democrats supporting the tax argued that Washington's current tax system is unfair, largely because it relies on sales taxes and property taxes that disproportionately affect lower-income residents.

• "It is a source of continuing shame for me that we have one of the most regressive tax systems in the country," state Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen (D-Seattle) said during yesterday's floor debate.

The other side: Republicans in the chamber all voted against the measure.

• "Prosperity is not a limitless resource," state Senate Minority Leader John Braun (R-Centralia) said on the Senate floor. "When we punish it, we shrink it."

What we're watching: Whether additional tax relief measures are added to the bill — and whether it can clear the state House before the Legislature's scheduled adjournment on March 12.

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👋 Melissa here. I was walking at dusk a few weeks ago and noticed this column of rocks, which includes a light up feature I'd never seen before.

Know where I shot this photo? Hit reply or email us to submit your guess.

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• You'll also get the pleasure of knowing your local geography skills are unmatched.