Palm Hill fire Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

In Dry Eastern Washington, Scientists Look To Rangeland Management To Address Catastrophic Fires

By Courtney Flatt November 6, 2020

In one experimental plot, many of the sagebrush in this Moses Coulee area of central Washington were burned to a crisp during the September 2020 Pearl Hill Fire. It can take decades for sagebrush to fully recover after an extremely intense wildfire. CREDIT: Courtney Flatt/NWPB

As Washington works to combat climate change, can rangelands be better managed to make wildfires less catastrophic? What are the most effective solutions to remove invasive grasses, like cheatgrass, which dries out quickly, burns extremely hot and helps fires jump from bunchgrass to bunchgrass?Read More

UPDATES: Crews Make Good Progress In Eastern Washington Fires; Hundreds Of Homes Burned

By NWPB News September 16, 2020

The Inchelium Complex, comprised of three smaller fires, is burning in timber and grasslands on the eastern side of the reservation of the Colville Confederated Tribes, shown here on Sept. 12, 2020. CREDIT: InciWeb

Labor Day 2020 lived up to its name if you’re a firefighter. It was a day that set up for numerous fires in central and eastern Washington that have burned tens of thousands of acres, and possibly many more. At least 80 fires started in Washington in what officials call a historic fire event. Read More

Extreme End To The 2020 Northwest Fire Season Reminds Of The 1910 ‘Big Burn’

By Courtney Flatt September 9, 2020

Late afternoon light catches smoke from the Cold Springs Fire near a structure that appeared to be empty long before the fire, Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, near Omak, Washington. CREDIT: Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review via AP

Usually, fire season starts to tamp down in September. This year has been anything but normal. In an unprecedented fire event, at least 80 fires started in Washington over Labor Day weekend.Read More