SEATTLE — Washington officials stressed the importance of fireworks safety Tuesday afternoon before the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said at a press conference Tuesday officials are expecting a difficult fire season in 2024.
Last year, a Fourth of July fire in Mason County burned nearly 300 acres of land and forced the evacuations of about 200 homes. Central Mason Fire & EMS Fire Chief Jeff Snyder said no injuries were reported as firefighters rushed to the area to fight the flames.
Christina Witt was one of 200 homeowners told to leave their property last year during the MacEwan Fire. Witt said she spent a sleepless night in the Shelton Walmart parking lot praying her home would survive.
”This is a great lesson for everyone who wants to do fireworks," Witt said. "They're fun, but remember, what goes up, comes down, and they're not always put out.
Franz estimates about 90% of wildfires have been caused by humans in Washington state.
“We are already full court press and we are expecting this to be a very difficult, challenging fire season," Franz said. "We’re urging people to learn from the past by being one less spark out there.”
Franz said the Fourth of July fire in Mason County was the first wildfire in western Washington in 2023. By the end of the year, Franz said there were more fires west of the Cascade Mountains in recorded history.
Franz expects the alarming trend to continue.
“This was probably not an anomaly, but the beginning where we are going to see more and more fires west of the Cascades and more (fires) in urban and densely populated areas," Franz said.
Snyder recommended attending professional fireworks shows instead of using your own this holiday. If you do use personal fireworks, however, Snyder said they should be done in an area away from windows, preferably in a gravel parking lot. Once the fireworks are done, Snyder advised to put the fireworks in water so the wind does not re-ignite and start a potential wildfire.
"If all of us do this we all get to enjoy the Fourth of July festivities," Snyder said. "One person can ruin it for a lot of people."
Franz called last year's record-breaking wildfire season a "wake-up call" to western Washington residents.
“This is a reminder that a lot of people on the west side of the state are not yet aware or being fully cognizant of how risky our forests are, how dangerously dry they are, and how easy it is to start a wildfire, and the different mechanisms that start a fire," Franz said. "We are urging people to please take all precautions to be safe. We need more than ever before for people to be aware.”
State officials have more resources to fight potential wildfires this year, Franz said, but she still stressed the importance of avoiding these situations altogether.
“Especially when you’re thinking that Washington is the Evergreen State – it’s our responsibility to keep it evergreen rather than turning it charcoal black," Franz said.
Witt said she will have sprinklers running on the holiday in case another fire starts up.
”I like my home," Witt said. "I like my backyard. I want to keep it that way.”