Wildland Firefighters Preparing for a Dry Summer

The summer of 2018 was a hot and dry season, and the conditions resulted in a record number of wildfires throughout the state, including here in Yakima. Janet Pierce with the State Department of Natural Resources says crews battled a record 1,850 wildfires in 2018.
She says state officials are concerned about forest health and the possibility of another big wildfire in Eastern Washington this year.

"Our Public Lands Commissioner is going to the Legislature asking for $55 million to beef up wildfire resources and get some forest health treatments on the landscape," Pierce says.
She adds that all forecasts are calling for warm and dry conditions for the summer of 2019, so they're preparing now for what could be another rough fire season just like last year's.