Western Washington avoids community-leveling conflagration — for now

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Yesterday evening, high winds out of the east brought unwelcome smoke to the Puget Sound region. Living in the woods — which are very dry at this time — I became somewhat alarmed; I won’t deny it. This past spring, I wrote about the historic wildfires of Western Washington and the likelihood that climate change could bring massive destruction to thousands of homes built in wooded areas. I did not want to see an affirmation of my story’s title, “Fire danger returning to Western Washington.” Did we have the ingredients […]

Western Washington wildfire: What are we facing this year and beyond?

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Trying to predict the likelihood that Western Washington will be scorched with severe forest fires this summer must be an overwhelming job for our region’s meteorologists. In the midst of a pandemic, fire managers and fire crews desperately would like to know what kinds of fire conditions they will face this year, not only in Western Washington but wherever they might be sent. Will firefighters be able to ward off the COVID-19 disease as they battle one blaze after another? How many times might they be called out to fight […]