Inslee proclaims State of Emergency for wildfires

OLYMPIA — Governor Jay Inslee signed a State of Emergency proclamation to address concerns around unfavorable fire conditions that are forecast in the coming weeks.

Inslee’s emergency proclamation covers Washington’s 39 counties and ensures an immediate response of firefighting resources when wildfires breakout.

“Catastrophic fires are burning up and down the West Coast, putting a strain on our firefighting resources," Inslee said. "This proclamation ensures resources are ready to go at a moment’s notice to help protect our communities from another unprecedented fire season”

The proclamation authorizes assistance from the Washington National Guard to combat fires. Per the governor’s proclamation, Washington’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is instructed to handle the coordination of firefighting assistance to affected areas.

“Current weather forecasts predict elevated temperatures with localized lightning and windy conditions throughout the State for the next week, and seasonal weather forecasting models project warmer and drier than normal weather conditions to continue through September, which, when combined with existing high-risk fire fuel conditions, support an extremely active burning environment capable of producing multiple large wildfires requiring the need for immediate response,” reads the proclamation.

The EOC has been activated to support the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), as well as the state fire Marshal’s Office, which have been at the forefront of firefighting efforts. DNR crews statewide have been able to keep 94 percent of wildfires to under 10 acres in 2018, but with 891 wildfires already reported this year, which have charred an estimated 113,000 acres, firefighting resources are stretched thin.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.