WASHINGTON, USA — Experts are predicting that Washington's wildfire season will come earlier than normal, and be slightly more active than usual due to a number of factors impacting the state.
Multiple concerns relate to the lower-than-average precipitation Washington has gotten in the fall, winter and spring.
Earlier this year, the Washington State Department of Ecology declared a drought emergency for most of the state due to low snowpack and forecasts predicting dry spring and summer seasons.
Service areas encompassing Everett, Seattle, SeaTac and Tacoma are the only spots excepted from the declaration. It's the fourth-earliest drought declaration on record in Washington, according to Ecology.
According to the Washington Smoke Blog, most parts of the state have remained drier than normal since the beginning of the year, particularly in the Central and North Cascade Mountains, and in the Blue Mountains, where precipitation has only been 50-70% of normal since July 1.
Washington's low snowpack is also doubly concerning because the rate of melt-off can determine when we can expect wildfire season to begin. The state's snowpack has been lower than average, and the mid to high-elevation forests are expected to be free of snow by some point in June. The smoke blog wrote that this means fuels, like dry trees and brush, will be available to burn earlier than normal if dry, warm weather persists.
The smoke blog noted that this is of particular concern for communities on the east slopes of the Cascades.
In western Washington, there is a 40-50% chance of above-normal temperatures this summer, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There is a 50-60% chance of above-normal temperatures on the east side of the state.