First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude to the wildland fire community and others who work hard to suppress wildfires.The COVID-19 pandemic has left many uncertain about what the future holds.

What I admire most about this group is that they are dedicated to getting a job done, but safety is the top priority. There is a lot of training and refresher courses that are required before firefighters can work on the fire line, and their hands-on training was put to a halt this spring. They have used their innovative and creative skills to ensure that this virus will not stop their required training. Via teleconferencing and other forms of media, they are doing all they can to get the training they need so they can serve the community.

Whatever happens this coming season, I am confident they will do all they can to suppress or manage wildfires.

I wish I could bring better news, but the seasonal outlook in terms of the potential for large wildfires for most of Washington and Oregon is above average this summer. The fire potential outlook is provided by the Geographical Area Coordination Centers (GACC), and the Northwest Coordination Center (NWCC) Predictive Services provides the outlook for Washington and Oregon. Although their current seasonal outlooks cover through July, it is likely our forecast area will remain above average through the end of summer.

June is usually the month when fuels in the Northwest begin to cure, especially the fine fuels, such as grass and brush. Although the NWCC does not have our area in the above average category for June, keep in mind that this area could have large wildfires. Fast spreading grass fires are common in June, sometimes as early as May. All it takes is a week or more of dry and warm conditions to dry out the fine fuels and quickly cause fires to spread.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides a monthly U.S. Drought Monitor. Dry conditions through most of March pushed most of Washington and Oregon into the abnormally dry or moderate drought categories, with severe drought across parts of the Columbia Basin. The Blue Mountains and the Wallowa Mountains received enough snowpack to keep these areas out of drought conditions. Wet and cool conditions are likely for the first half of April, but drier conditions are possible during the second half of the month. Nevertheless, cool and wet conditions in spring doesn’t necessarily mean that the above average potential for significant wildfires will be lifted this summer. Snow in April may provide the beneficial fuel moisture for the large fuels, such as timber and slash, but this could change if May and June are unseasonably dry with an increase in the moisture deficit for all fuel types.

I strongly encourage you to maintain vigilance over the next six months through proper landscaping and responsible burning. Think about our wildland firefighters and the difficult tasks they will have, especially if the pandemic continues. You can make their jobs a lot easier by taking simple measures to create a defensible space around your home and carefully handling flammable material when outdoors. For details on preparing your home and other great suggestions, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/fs-tags/fire-wise.