Wildfire Season Incoming: Reps, Firefighters Ask WA To Prepare

BONNEY LAKE, WA — Fire season is coming to Western Washington, but before it does state and local leaders are urging everyone to get prepared.

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) and Congresswoman Kim Schrier (WA-8) called a joint conference Wednesday to discuss the wildfire challenges Washington will face this year.

The conference, held at Bonney Lake's Fire Station 111 — not far from last year's destructive Sumner Grade Fire — featured representatives for local fire departments and the state Department of Natural resources, who banded together to share one message: get ready.

Washington has already seen more than 200 wildfires this year, and that number is only going to go up as the weather heats up.

"We love our summers, but we know now that summertime in the northwest means fire season," Strickland said. "Let's be prepared, let's take responsibility and let's do our part to fight climate change."

Puget Sound is the only part of Washington not currently under a drought advisory, but that doesn't mean the region is in the clear, firefighters warn. It's forecasted to have a "normal" fire season, but normal like how last year's fire season was also "normal" for the region.

"Normal is changing, and I think it's something we all need to be aware of," said Washington State Forester George Geissler.

Geissler says that over the last five to ten years, wildfires have become much more common on the western side of the state.

"The underlying drought coupled with our ongoing climate change is really changing the characteristics of wildland fire in our state. Many times you would hear that fire is an Eastern Washington problem and as the western side has learned: no, it can happen here too," Geissler said.

Most of those wildfires are caused by humans.

"Western Washington has a lot of us around, and that increases the risk," Geissler said.

That means it's on Western Washingtonians to do their part to stop these fires from sparking. According to the Department of Natural Resources, that means not setting off fireworks in illegal areas, checking ahead for burn bans and keeping campfires in safe, approved fire pits. It also means not tossing cigarettes out of car windows and not leaving hot cars running over dry grass.

But no matter how hard we try, there's no way to prevent all wildfires, so firefighters say it's also important to be prepared for when those fires inevitably spark up.

As newly sworn-in East Pierce Fire Chief Jon Parkinson says, the Sumner Grade Fire was a wake-up call.

"We are not immune to large scale fires and the impacts that come with that," said Parkinson.

Though there were no deaths or injuries, the Sumner Grade Fire destroyed two homes, and forced an estimated 7,000 residents in the Bonney Lake and Sumner communities to evacuate for several days last summer.

Parkinson says there are a few ways to keep your home safe in case something like that ever happens again, like:

• Clearing up dead and dried leaves on your property.
• Removing dead plants at least 10 feet from structures.
• Cleaning up flammable objects like propane tanks.
• Keeping the lawn short and setting a defensible space around your home.

In case of an emergency, be prepared to evacuate, and have an emergency survival kit prepared in advance. Kits should have dried food and water for each family member, plus first aid supplies, a change of clothes and sleeping bags or blankets, among other equipment.

>> Read the Washington State Department of Health's guide to building an emergency survival kit.

Meanwhile, the representatives say they're doing what they can to secure federal funding to combat any wildfires that do crop up: Schrier through the Prescribed Fire Act, a proposal to secure $300 million in funding for prescribed preventative burns in Washington, and Strickland through an Outdoor Restoration Fund, which would provide $20 billion to local and state governments to restore endangered lands and reduce fires.

Related stories:

Meteorological Summer Arrives: What To Expect In Washington

Rep. Kim Schrier Will Face Another Republican Challenge In 2022