“Prepare For Higher Than Average Fire Season,” Says Washington Forest Protection Association

Jason Spadaro is the executive director of the Washington Forest Protection Association. It represents private forest landowners in Washington state. 

“We see more and more interface between forest land and residential uses. And it creates more and more fire risk,” he says.

Spadaro encourages landowners to take steps to manage their forest land, by keeping the density down and fuels under control. 

“If you think of it in the context of a garden, if you leave your garden to go wild, you don’t prune, you don’t thin, you don’t manage your garden, you’re not going to have a healthy garden,” says Spadaro. “And a forest is very similar. It’s always growing.”

Washington’s Department of Natural Resources offers several programs to help owners of small forested properties reduce their wildfire risk. Interested landowners can apply to have a visit from a forester, improve the health of their trees, or increase wildlife habitat.