WASHINGTON, USA — Despite the start of fall, wildfire season is not over, according to Commissioner of Public Lands Hillary Franz. She cited continuing rising temperatures and "abnormally" dry vegetation conditions, such as in shrubs, trees, and grass.
According to the Department of Natural Resources, Washington state has had 1,855 wildfires so far in 2023. Despite there being over two months left in the year, it has already beat the 10-year average of 1,417 fires.
"We’re seeing fires rage through wetter forests, even the Olympic Rainforest. Even though it’s been cooler, we still haven’t seen much rain, and until we do our forests remain vulnerable to wildfires that can threaten homes and fill our skies with smoke," said Commissioner Franz in a statement, "this year has been one of the most destructive ever for the people of Washington. I’m urging everyone to continue their vigilance by not starting fires outdoors to keep our state and our firefighters safe.”
In the case example of the Olympic National Forest wildfires that were caused by lightning strikes on Aug. 28, the fires have increased in size in the past few days. More resources are being diverted to manage the fire and support firefighters. The flames have caused smoky conditions in the north Olympic Peninsula region. According to the Incident Information System, the fire started due to warm temperatures and low humidity.
The largest active fire is in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest near Randle, according to the DNR. Currently, it is 40% contained with 215 personnel at 715 acres burned. According to a release, there is still intense heat on the west side of the first in the Grassy Mountain Fire detected by infrared equipment.
Across Washington state, 400 homes have been burned by wildfire, making it one of the most destructive fire season recorded. Residents can check the status of burn bans and finger danger ratings on the Department of Natural Resources website below.