SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — We are well into wildfire season and haven’t even reached the peak yet.
It is no surprise that our hot, dry conditions are the worst situation for fire risk, and it’s not just the dry brush that’s at-risk of catching.
We are only midway through July, but the Washington State Department of Natural Resources is on alert to fight against a possibly devastating fire season.
“While we are more prepared than ever before with more resources on the ground and in the air, the reality is, as we see more and more areas at risk of fire and more fires happening, it still challenges and tests all of our resources,” Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands, said.
Franz said last year is a perfect example, saying it tested everything.
The Gray and Oregon Road fires in Spokane County were just two of 17 fires that started the same day, pushing resources to the limit.
For now, Franz said fire crews were able to get on the ground or in the air within 30 minutes.
Washington has seen 411 fires so far this summer, with the season’s peak still weeks away.
"About 163 of those [fires] are on the west side of the Cascades, and then another 248 are east of the Cascades,” Franz said.
The Pioneer Fire, north of Lake Chelan, presents a particular challenge. It’s burned more than 20,000 acres since June and has moved from lake level to nearly 6,000-foot elevation.
Meteorologist Matthew Dehr said this showcases possible fire behavior statewide.
“So really, any forested area, any grassland area in the state, especially east of the Cascades, is ready to burn, it will support fire,” Dehr said.
It’s why DNR now prohibits burning on all of its nearly 13 million acres, prepared, but proactively working to prevent another devastating year.
DNR’s burn ban runs through September, but may be extended. August is considered to be the peak of wildfire season.