County fire districts prepare for wildfire season

MOSES LAKE -Residents of Grant County are no strangers to wildfire. Last Fourth of July an errant firework sparked the McConihe Flats Fire northwest of Moses Lake, scorching 1,400 acres, threatening 50 homes and destroying one house and several outbuildings before it was contained.

Last September the Baird Springs Fire burned more than 9,000 acres near Quincy over four days.

Fire district officials and emergency management personnel are hoping people living in the area remember these and other past incidents as another fire season begins.

The national outlook shows a fairly average wildfire season this year, but the Columbia Basin's windy, dry climate is always a recipe for caution, said Kyle Foreman, public information officer for Grant County Emergency Management. He strongly recommends property owners clear a 30-foot area of defensible space around their homes, removing any burnable debris and pruning trees so fires don't have a ladder to climb.

Emergency Management also encourages homeowners to make sure driveways are identified with an address marker and are unobstructed to allow fire trucks access.

So far this month Grant County Fire District 5 has already fought an eight-acre wildfire north of Moses Lake, started by a property owner burning weeds, as well as a three-acre burn west of the city, according to Grant County Fire District 5 Chief Scott Clendenin.

Recent wet weather allowed vegetation to grow "high and tight," Clendenin said, creating a preponderance of wildfire fuel that dries out quickly as the summer heats up.

"We're setting up for the potential of a big fire season within Grant County," he said. "All it takes is one firework. The temperatures are up and with that, fire danger rises.

Grant County currently has no fireworks ban except within the city limits of Moses Lake, creating a tense time for fire personnel every Fourth of July, Foreman said.

"We have to really encourage people to be safe but unfortunately every year there are still fireworks-related fires," he said.

What the fire season will look like is really up to the people who live in the county, said Grant County Fire District 3 Chief Don Fortier.

"The question is who's going to make a mistake?" he said. "Mother nature sometimes steps in with lighting strikes but the larger fires are usually caused by human error."

Fortier encourages people to think ahead about where fireworks might land before lighting the fuse.

"They might think, 'Well that was a stupid decision,' but by that point it could be too late," he said.

County residents shouldn't be lulled into a false sense of security because of this year's late start to the wildfire season, said Grant County Fire District 13 Chief Shane Heston. "We anticipate a pretty active fire season," he said.

Like Foreman, Heston encourages homeowners to get ready now, if they haven't already.

"Don't wait until it's too late to prepare for fire season," he said. "It just takes minutes to lose your structure."

If a wildfire does occur, Emergency Management recommends tuning into a local AM/FM radio or television station and following the guidance of officials. If authorities order an evacuation, leave immediately, following evacuation routes announced by officials.

Having a pre-determined family evacuation plan is always a good idea, Foreman said, as well as identifying and gathering important items to take beforehand in case of a short-notice evacuation. Make sure family members know where to meet if an evacuation occurs when they are away from home.

For more information on emergency preparedness, visit the Grant County Emergency Management website at www.co.grant.wa.us/EM, or the FEMA wildfire website at www.fema.gov/hazard/wildfire.