Wildfire smoke is already casting a haze over parts of Western Washington as hot temperatures dry out vegetation and increase the risk of fires closer to home.
Wildfire smoke is already casting a haze over parts of Western Washington as hot temperatures dry out vegetation and increase the risk of fires closer to home.
So far this year, wildfires have burned about a quarter-million acres across Washington, according to Gov. Bob Ferguson's office. In Western Washington, smoky conditions are a visible reminder of fires burning elsewhere.
"Montana is on fire. Idaho is on fire. Then we drove through Spokane the day after the 60,000 people got evacuated. It's been alarming," Brad Wheeler, who drove through the Inland Northwest and Eastern Washington this week, said.
As western Washington experiences warmer, drier summers, the risk of wildfires increases, according to the King County Office of Emergency Management.
About 1 in 7 King County residents live in what's known as the wildland-urban interface, where homes border forests and other natural areas. Statewide, about 1 in 3 Washingtonians live in areas at risk of wildfires. King County Emergency Management Director Brendan McCluskey said growth in those areas is adding to the concern.
"We have a lot more people moving into those areas," he said.
McCluskey said wildfires are among the most serious hazards the county plans for.
"It's one of the highest hazards that we recognize here in King County, up there on par with a major earthquake or flooding," McCluskey said.
Emergency officials say homeowners can improve their chances of protecting their property by reducing fuels around structures. Recommendations include removing vegetation, firewood and other combustible materials within 5 feet of a home; clearing leaves and pine needles from roofs and gutters; and trimming tree branches away from homes to reduce the risk of wildfire damage.
For some residents, the smoke is what makes the threat feel immediate.
"Usually I don't worry about it until I start smelling all the smoke," Cumming said.
As smoky skies blanket the region, Wheeler said the conditions are hard to ignore.
"It looks like the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. It is everywhere," he said.
Even when wildfires are many miles away, they can still affect air quality across the region.
"It's been very frightening to think that the whole West is on fire," Wheeler said.
