Published: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Early spring raises concern for summer wildfires
If a dry summer follows lush spring growth, the county could see more blazes, fire officials say.
Fuel for a summer wildfire might be sprouting right now.
Snohomish County fire officials said the early spring, with all its abundant growth, could be followed by a dry summer.
And that could create ideal conditions for wildfires.
“That’s worrisome,” said Eric Andrews, fire chief at Snohomish County Fire District 26 in Gold Bar.
The Northwest is facing an El Nino year. The weather cycle has driven temperatures up and precipitation levels down, causing anxiety about fires and drought.
Andrews said Snohomish County got off easy last year. Many wildfires were predicted, but few occurred. The region may be less fortunate this year.
“I think locally we may be in for a lot more wildland fires,” he said.
Getchell Fire Department Chief Travis Hots was hesitant to make predictions, since last year’s indicators were off. Still, his department always braces itself.
It will host a course teaching firefighters from Granite Falls and Lake Stevens how to cut down trees that are in the path of a wildfire.
“The most important thing we can do is prepare for the worst-case scenario,” Hots said.
Homeowners also can prepare.
Fire officials recommend cutting back vegetation, moving wood piles away from homes and maintaining a path to the house that is at least 12 feet wide and 14 feet high.
“If a fire does break out, make sure a fire truck can get in,” Hots said.
Along with wildfires, concerns about drought are growing.
Snowpack levels are about 20 percent to 40 percent below average throughout much of the Cascades, according to the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center. Stevens Pass had 75 inches of snow on Monday, 2 feet below normal.
Less snowpack now means less snowmelt in the summer, potentially affecting the state’s water supplies.
With that in mind, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Monday that she has asked the Legislature to set aside $4.1 million for drought-relief projects.
She said it’s too early to tell if wildfire season will begin earlier than usual and lead to tighter regulations on outdoor burning.
“I don’t know what the spring will bring,” she said. “It could surprise us.”
Herald writer Jerry Cornfield contributed to this report.
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.
Snohomish County fire officials said the early spring, with all its abundant growth, could be followed by a dry summer.
And that could create ideal conditions for wildfires.
“That’s worrisome,” said Eric Andrews, fire chief at Snohomish County Fire District 26 in Gold Bar.
The Northwest is facing an El Nino year. The weather cycle has driven temperatures up and precipitation levels down, causing anxiety about fires and drought.
Andrews said Snohomish County got off easy last year. Many wildfires were predicted, but few occurred. The region may be less fortunate this year.
“I think locally we may be in for a lot more wildland fires,” he said.
Getchell Fire Department Chief Travis Hots was hesitant to make predictions, since last year’s indicators were off. Still, his department always braces itself.
It will host a course teaching firefighters from Granite Falls and Lake Stevens how to cut down trees that are in the path of a wildfire.
“The most important thing we can do is prepare for the worst-case scenario,” Hots said.
Homeowners also can prepare.
Fire officials recommend cutting back vegetation, moving wood piles away from homes and maintaining a path to the house that is at least 12 feet wide and 14 feet high.
“If a fire does break out, make sure a fire truck can get in,” Hots said.
Along with wildfires, concerns about drought are growing.
Snowpack levels are about 20 percent to 40 percent below average throughout much of the Cascades, according to the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center. Stevens Pass had 75 inches of snow on Monday, 2 feet below normal.
Less snowpack now means less snowmelt in the summer, potentially affecting the state’s water supplies.
With that in mind, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Monday that she has asked the Legislature to set aside $4.1 million for drought-relief projects.
She said it’s too early to tell if wildfire season will begin earlier than usual and lead to tighter regulations on outdoor burning.
“I don’t know what the spring will bring,” she said. “It could surprise us.”
Herald writer Jerry Cornfield contributed to this report.
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.
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