Hot weather to boomerang back

MOSES LAKE — Just when people thought it was safe to climb out of the pool, hot weather – maybe freaky hot weather – is making a comeback next weekend.

It’s summer, so of course it’s hot and dry in central Washington – it’s the desert thing – but there’s hot, like 95 degrees, and freaky hot, like 105 degrees. That’s the temperature range for next weekend from differing computer models.

The current National Weather Service forecast is projecting something in the middle, more in the flipping hot range, topping out at 100 degrees or so. Peak hot weather is forecast for Saturday, about 98 degrees, said Laurie Nisbet of the NWS office in Spokane. The hot temperatures are forecast to stick around at least through Monday, she said.

But that’s actually good news. “Maybe that heat wave won’t be quite as hot.” The region may avoid that 104-degree weather. “It’s still hot, but the (forecast) models are trending cooler, for sure.” The forecast calls for clear skies and light winds, Nisbet said.

The culprit is a ridge of high pressure, something that shows up in the summer, shifting winds aloft so that air currents are coming out of the southwest.

But hot weather and low humidity mean it’s dry out there, and that means an increased possibility of fire. On Monday alone a fire was reported between Ephrata and Soap Lake, another near Warden, still another on Valley Road in Moses Lake. Monday’s activity followed a Friday fire on Dodson Road near Ephrata and a fire Sunday near the Potholes. And that’s just the brush fires.

There are things homeowners can do to increase their home’s chances of surviving a wildfire. The National Fire Prevention Association’s Firewise program has tips for homeowners to reduce their risk in case of a brush fire.

Fire behavior is influenced by the terrain, weather conditions and fuel, according to information from the Firewise website. “Of these three factors, fuel is the only one we can influence,” it said.

Debris like dead leaves and pine needles should be removed from the decks, gutters and yard. “Fire moving along the surface can ‘ladder’ into shrubs and low-hanging tree limbs to create longer flames and more heat.”

Residents should pay attention to possible flammable materials, both around the house and the house itself, for about 100 feet around the whole house. “Keep any flammables, including plantings, debris and mulch, out of the area within 5 feet of your home’s foundations as well as off your roof.”

Lawns should be maintained and mowed, and flammable materials like wood piles should be at least 30 feet away from the house. Plants should be maintained so they reduce the chance of fire moving from grass to shrubs to trees.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.