Fire officials say this year is on par with 2014 and 2015 – two of the worst seasons on record in the Northwest. Things are ramping up nearly a month earlier than previous years, and resources are stretched thin. Read More
Wildfire
The National Guard is gearing up to help fight wildfire in central and eastern Washington, and Governor Jay Inslee has declared a state-wide emergency. Read More
The West is in the midst of another intense fire season. Fires in California and Oregon have claimed lives and homes and burned up farmland. As part of EarthFix’s ongoing series on wildfire, reporter Tony Schick spoke with interim Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen about what her agency is doing to reform fire management and reverse the fire problem.Read More
The West is way behind on reducing the buildup of hazardous fuels we created. And much of the work we do to reduce those fuels is missing the key ingredient: fire.Read More
Three major wildfires are burning in central Washington near the Columbia River in Kittitas and Grant counties. And the fires could make getting to a big three-day Phish concert at the Gorge Amphitheater more difficult.Read More
East of The Dalles, Oregon, the Substation Fire has charred over 50,000 acres and is still spreading. A lot of that charred ground so far is golden, soft white wheat. And when grain burns, farmers can lose a lot of money – even if they have crop insurance.Read More
A fast-growing wildfire east of The Dalles, Oregon, that forced evacuations Tuesday, July 17 and the following day is expected to make a push to the south and east due to dangerous fire conditions in the area, fire officials said. Read More
A large wildfire is burning outside of Naches, in central Washington. It started Sunday afternoon, and is called the Conrad fire. It’s currently estimated at more than 5,000 acres and about 20 percent contained.Read More
Federal officials anticipate a big wildfire season in the Northwest throughout July, August and possibly into September.Read More
As at least half a dozen fires in Colorado force hundreds to evacuate, and have closed a national forest, some residents say they're shocked at how quickly the fire has spread. The speed of wildfires is actually something Colorado ecologists have been studying, and they say history may provide clues on how to slow it down.Read More
A small hot spot flared up early Tuesday morning about a half-mile east of the Herman Creek Trailhead. It’s less than a quarter of an acre with little chance that it will spread. Firefighters are using nearby creek water to extinguish it.Read More
