We’re tracking active wildfires throughout the Pacific Northwest. Washington’s wildfire season typically runs from June to September and particularly affects the region east of the Cascades, according to the state Department of Natural Resources. Wildfires Air quality In May, Puget Sound Energy, Washington’s largest utility, warned customers it could turn off power in some communities to prevent its power lines from sparking wildfires.
Already, the Pioneer fire reported on the north shore of Lake Chelan in early June is estimated to burn till the end of October . “Due to rugged, inaccessible terrain and the large amount of ground fuels, the fire will likely persist on the landscape for an extended duration,” the state Department of Natural Resources has said in news releases. This year, Western Washington is entering this fire season dry, with chances of wildfire expected to build heading into the hottest months of the year, according to the most recent predictions.
Wildfire risk was normal through June for the state as a whole, but most of Western Washington in July and August will see an above-normal fire risk, according to the National Interagency Fire Center’s May wildfire outlook. The rest of the state is predicted to face normal conditions. We’re also tracking wildfires’ effect on air quality throughout the region.
Last August, Seattle reached hazardous levels when wildfire smoke from British Columbia, Eastern Washington and the Cascade Mountains coated .