New program launches in rural WA to proactively plan for wildfire season
The Brief
The "Wildfire Ready Neighbors" program aims to equip Washington residents with knowledge and resources ahead of wildfire season.
It comes as the state is seeing more drought conditions and low snowpack, similar threats that made wildfires in 2024 so destructive.
PORT LUDLOW, Wash. - Last year was a destructive year for wildfire season in Washington. State experts said drought conditions and low snowpack are making matters worse. The threat is back for 2025, as the west side of the state saw the driest January since the 1940s.
One community is proactively working to help residents protect their properties from structural damage. The East Jefferson Fire Rescue partnered with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to launch "Wildfire Ready Neighbors." It's a program designed to equip residents with knowledge and resources ahead of wildfire season.
"We are seeing increasing wildfire incidents in Jefferson County. It is incumbent upon all of us to know the risks and be prepared. Every summer we see wildfire, and every time, people start to wonder how they should prepare themselves. What this program allows us to do is provide a beginner-friendly outline of actions for residents," said Bret Black, chief of East Jefferson Fire Rescue.
Jefferson County is located on the northwest tip of the state. Though it's one of Washington's lushest and greenest areas, fire officials said the dryness in the air and shifting winds are increasing fire risks.
"We're finding that the weather and the climate really is impacting the fire risk a lot more," said Robert Wittenberg, community risk manager with East Jefferson Fire Rescue.
The backstory
Fire risks are all too familiar for communities on the peninsula. In 2024, a raging wildfire scorched the slopes of Mount Jupiter, which burned nearly 400 acres. It was a tall task to put out flames for such a small and rural community.
Black said wildfires in preceding years have also presented challenges in his area.
"We're really isolated and remote, and we don't have a lot of resources," said Black. "The amount of reflex time it takes to get a large wildfire fighting cadre together is much more extended than in any part of the state because we're so remote."
While East Jefferson Fire Rescue said it will continue needing support from neighboring agencies, this year they hope the Wildfire Ready Neighbors program will equip community members to help themselves in these emergencies.
"Prepare them for the outcome of living through a wildfire, how to prepare your home, how to put together evacuation plans," said Black.
As part of the program, firefighters are going door to door, from Port Townsend to Port Ludlow. They're providing homeowners with comprehensive guidance on how to create defensible space to protect their property.
"We will point out things where there is something combustible that could be ignited by an airborne ember, or ways that they can reduce the risk of a fire running along the ground from moving up into the trees and creating what we call a crown fire, which burns very, very hot and becomes even more dangerous," said Wittenberg.
So far, 40 homeowners have received this critical information from the program. Firefighters said almost 90 more homes are on the list for their guidance.
"It's empowering for our community and us as first responders to add this resource to our outreach toolkit," said Black.
It's a resource that could not come soon enough, as officials with the DNR said wildfire threats are increasing in western Washington.
"We've seen over the last couple years, our summers have been hotter, drier, and longer," said Jesse Duvall, the DNR's community resilience coordinator. "In 2022, 30 to 40% of all fire starts in Washington state happened west of the Cascades, which is pretty significant for the amount of starts."
Duvall said the DNR offers a grant for reimbursement of up to $4,000 for fire-wise communities that are working proactively to reduce risks.
With less precipitation this winter and spring, Washington is growing drier, which could lead to fires burning faster. If that should happen again in Jefferson County, officials said they hope the new program arms their rural community with knowledge and a plan.
"It gives consistent messaging to our community, which is so important in a rural community that we're all seeing and hearing and doing the same thing," said Black. "We're not just teaching a person to fish, metaphorically. We're teaching a community to help themselves."
The Source
Information in this story is from East Jefferson Fire Rescue, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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