Recent showers didn’t douse fire danger; burn ban remains in effect

Even though there were rain showers in several parts of western Washington recently, a statewide ban on outdoor burning remains in effect for all lands that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) protects from wildfire on both sides of the Cascades.

Fire officials at DNR and local fire districts say they are seeing a recent increase in outdoor burning in western counties, which is not allowed under the current statewide burn ban.

Do not be misled by the recent, brief wet spell. Summer rains tend to be isolated events, which means that clouds may dump rain in one location but the countryside a few miles away could remain fairly dry.

The thick canopy of forests on the west side can prevent much of a summer shower’s raindrops from reaching the dry needles and grasses on the ground below.

Even where grasses and light brush have greened-up, the heavier fuels — trees and thick brush — are still quite dry for this time of year.

There are many warm summer days to go.

This weekend, in fact, will bring sunnier, warmer, and drier weather too much of western Washington while the heat and fire danger continues in eastern Washington.

Please be safe with outdoor adventures and remember to be especially careful with fire and outdoor activities.

For daily updates on burn restrictions, call 1-800-323-BURN 24 hours a day or visit DNR’s Fire Danger and Outdoor Burning webpage to view fire conditions and burning restrictions for each county in Washington state.

To report a Forest Fire call 800-562-6010.