Wildfire
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Forest restoration work helped firefighters stop Boyds Fire
Tom Merritt’s Eastern Washington home is about 15 miles away from where Boyds Fire broke out on the evening of Aug. 11. Perched high up on a hill, he saw smoke and watched as the fire rapidly grew. “I was… Continue reading
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New grants help collaboratives restore forest health, fire resilience
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is empowering communities to tackle important forest health issues with two new grant programs. These programs, which support DNR’s 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan, aim to create forests that are resilient to wildfires,… Continue reading
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DNR, veterans organization help homeowner improve wildfire safety
When Chris Mastel was in the Marines, he had a sense of purpose every day, a clear mission to accomplish. It was something he missed when his time in the military ended. “As soon as I got out – not… Continue reading
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Is it burning season?
With slash piles around and the cold November rain right around the corner, it’s a perfect time of year for forest landowners to consider their outdoor burning needs of branches and bark left behind after thinning, pruning or harvesting forest trees.… Continue reading
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‘Fire Storm’ 27 years ago today in eastern Washington raised prevention awareness
Twenty-seven years ago today, gale-force winds combined with dry and unseasonably warm weather combined to ignite the Fire Storm in Spokane County. It was called ‘Fire Storm’ because that’s exactly what took place. On October 16, 1991, wind gusts of… Continue reading
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Commissioner Franz proposes historic $55 million wildfire, forest health budget
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz unveiled Wednesday the largest budget request of its kind in state history: a $55 million Department of Natural Resources proposal for fighting wildfires and maintaining healthier forests in Washington. The 2019-21 budget package, which… Continue reading
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Firefighters learn how to conduct prescribed burns, one of several tools to protect our forests and communities
CLE ELUM – A group of firefighters and foresters stood outside a home earlier this week and sketched out a hypothetical plan for setting controlled fires to the homeowner’s 20-acre property. They gathered around trainer Ray Guse to learn about… Continue reading
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Front lines of the flame: The work of wildland firefighters
When a spark quickly turns into a fast-moving wildfire, our firefighters are there for us — many times in minutes. They fly over fiery landscapes that heat up our helicopters, anywhere from 100 to 120 degrees. They dig lines around… Continue reading
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Fire district funding available for radio communication equipment and wildfire risk reduction
DNR is now soliciting applications from fire protection service providers to fund projects for radio communication equipment and wildfire risk reduction activities, including education and outreach, technical assistance, fuel mitigation and other residential risk reduction measures. Fire protection service providers… Continue reading
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Fire Districts: grants open March 9 for Volunteer Fire Assistance Phase 1
Several factors affect the impact of wildfire in Washington, including the capacity of rural fire districts to respond to wildfires. That’s where DNR’s Fire District Assistance Program can help. We administer grants to help local fire districts and departments obtain more resources.… Continue reading
