Spring rains may have decreased the likelihood of forest fires in Western Washington this summer. Still, experts warn people to use caution when lighting campfires and fireworks.
“A wet spring means less of a risk, but not no risk,” Snohomish County Fire District 5 Chief Merlin Halverson said. “Once it dries up and the wind blows for three days, all bets are off.”
Each year, fires threaten thousands of acres of forests in Snohomish County. Readily available fireworks add to the risk, especially around the Fourth of July, officials said.
Common sense and watchfulness can prevent fires, property loss and injuries, firefighters say.
“In terms of campfires, barbecues, fireworks – all of those kinds of activities related to recreation – we encourage the public to exercise extreme caution,” state Department of Natural Resources spokeswoman Patty Henson said.
Winter and spring rains have put Western Washington in a “good position” as fire season begins, Henson said.
While damp brush may make it harder to ignite a blaze, rains also spur grasses and other plants to grow, adding potential fuel that could feed a fire, Halverson said.
Last winter’s windstorms and floods knocked down trees and brush, leaving behind lots of dead wood that easily could ignite.
In preparation for warmer weather, firefighters in eastern Snohomish County have taken refresher courses in fighting wildfires. Fire trucks have been retooled to battle blazes deep in the woods, the Sultan fire chief said.
“We’re not as confident as the (state) that we’re going to have an easy season,” Halverson said.
Last year, despite official state predictions that it would be a slow fire season, millions of acres burned around the state. In Snohomish County, a 20-acre fire on Deer Mountain near Arlington burned for almost a week.
Heat from the engine of a truck parked in tall grass sparked the Deer Mountain blaze, officials determined.
Lightning strikes during summer storms ignite many fires around the state, but outdoor burning of debris, much of it illegal, remains the greatest cause of wildfires in Snohomish County, experts say.
With the July 4 holiday two weeks away, many officials are concerned about fireworks’ potential to light a fire.
In Marysville, fireworks are allowed only on Independence Day, police Cmdr. Ralph Krusey said.
“People who are shooting them off before or after are violating the law,” he said.
In other parts of the county, including Everett, fireworks are banned outright.
“As we have in years past, we will have emphasis patrols in the days just prior to the Fourth,” Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz said.
If caught lighting fireworks, people are to subject to having their fireworks confiscated and could receive a criminal citation, he said.
The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend a professional display, Marysville Fire District spokeswoman Stephanie Price said.
People lighting their own fireworks should use precautions, including having a bucket of water or a garden hose available.
If a fire starts, call 911 for help, Price said.
“Check in and let the fire district go out and take a look,” she said.
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437 or jholtz@heraldnet.com.
Prevent wildfires
Use extreme caution when lighting campfires and setting off fireworks, firefighters say.
WHEN LIGHTING CAMPFIRES:
* Check to make sure a burn ban is not in effect in the area.
* Watch the fire at all times. Never leave a fire unattended.
* Clear all combustible materials away from the fire and light the campfire in a fire pit.
* Extinguish the fire completely before leaving.
WHEN SETTING OFF FIREWORKS:
* Use only legal fireworks in approved areas.
* Never allow children to play with or light fireworks.
* Keep a bucket of water and a garden hose available.
* Only light fireworks on a smooth, flat surface away from combustibles, such as grass or leaves.
* If a fire starts or someone is injured, call 911.
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