Western Washington faces rising wildfire risk after another dry May

May just wrapped up, and it was another dry month. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) finished the month of May with just under an inch of rain (0.83 inches), less than 50% of the average for the month.

Sea-Tac was not alone—Olympia received only about 30% of average rainfall in May, while Everett and Bellingham had just over 50% of their normal rainfall for the month.

For the year, Sea-Tac is close to five inches of rain below average, and Olympia is nearly eight inches below average. Yet Everett is a whopping 10 inches behind average, only 34% for the entire year.

This past winter’s mountain snowpack finished the season below average, and much of it has already melted off.

Drought conditions

These drier-than-average conditions are reflected in the latest “Drought Monitor.” All of western Washington is shown as abnormally dry, while the north and central Cascades spilling west into Western Washington to near the I-5 corridor is now considered in moderate drought.

The weather forecast for this week maintains more dry weather with mild, summerlike temperatures. Highs in western Washington this week are expected to be in the 70s with no rainfall anticipated.

Summer weather outlook

The weather outlook for June enhances the odds for warmer than average temperatures and tips the odds toward below average precipitation. Looking ahead for the rest of the summer, temperatures have the odds stacked in favor of overall above-average temperatures while precipitation during the driest time of the year shows at or below average rainfall.

Wildfire threat on the rise

These dry warm conditions heighten the threat of wildfires across the state, including western Washington. Unless substantial rainfall arrives soon, the wildfire season will likely begin about a month sooner than normal, likely around the early part of July. There have already been some small fires on both sides of the Cascades that were quickly addressed.

By August, the potential for wildfires across the state and the Pacific Northwest is considered above average thanks to the ongoing dry, warm conditions.

Wildfires can also occur in more urban areas, such as what happened in the Spokane area in August 2023, which burned more than 300 homes with two fatalities. June 6 also marks the date of the great Seattle Fire in 1889 that burned a large portion of downtown Seattle. On Labor Day weekend of 2020, a wind-driven wildfire burned several homes in the Bonney Lake area.

Wildfires also produce smoke. Last summer, western Washington escaped without experiencing wildfire smoke. Yet, the region has suffered poor air quality and visibility from smoke six out of the last eight summers, dating back to 2017, when smoke from British Columbia wildfires spread into the area. You can always monitor the latest air quality readings from the Washington Department of Ecology’s Air Quality Map.

Preparing for wildfires

Many in western Washington live among trees. Homeowners, businesses, and renters can sign up for a free assessment on Washington’s Wildfire Ready Neighbors website. The assessment will review your home and its surroundings, and provide ideas on adjustments to reduce the threat of a wildfire or the burning impact of embers from a nearby fire miles away. It was those embers in the Los Angeles fires in January that helped rapidly spread those wildfires.

A short list of actions can include removing stacked firewood away from your structure, clearing debris from roofs and gutters, trimming tree limbs up to head level to avoid “ladder-climbing” fire from reaching into trees, and avoiding outdoor burning. For more information on what you can do to reduce your threat of wildfires, visit the Firewise website.

If you are away from your home, be sure to keep burning materials inside your vehicle and not toss them outside, if towing, tighten tow chains to avoid sparking off the pavement, and when camping, ensure the campfire is cold before leaving.

Given the current dry and anticipated ongoing dry conditions through this summer, preventing wildfires is critical. As Smokey Bear has said for decades: “Only you can prevent wildfires.”

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.