SPANGLE, Wash. — With the weather heating up in the next week, it’s not a question of “if,” but rather a question of “when” wildfires will happen across the Inland Northwest.
Spokane County Fire District 3 Fire Chief Cody Rohobarch says that warmer weather combined with wind leads to wildfires.
“We're used to experiencing a lot of wind, and then on top of that, you find the driest timber habitat type in eastern Washington,” said Rohobarch. “We're going to be dealing with challenging conditions for firefighters out on the ground battling those fires.”
As temperatures are set to reach triple digits throughout the week of July 7, Rohobarch says that firefighters will have to take even more precautions.
“If it's 105 out in the ambient temp, of course, on fire line, it's going to be even warmer. So, we'll be working on hydration and making sure folks are ready to go for the week,” said Rohobarch.
As first responders prepare, Rohobarch recommends that communities all across the county need to know what to do in the case of a fire in their area.
“Think about what should be in your evacuation kit, have you rounded those things up beforehand. Do you have a plan, do you know where you're going beforehand?” said Rohobarch. “In an actual emergency it can be quite chaotic, and often, there's not enough time for folks to stop and plan those things.”
Rohobarch stresses that many first responders in his Spangle district are volunteers and asks that the community does its part in protecting people.
“All of our volunteer stations are pretty busy, particularly during wildfire season,” said Rohobarch. “Fires at least near term are not going away, so it's really the heightened awareness we see each year. There's a little more awareness and understanding in the community.”
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