WA DNR News

Grab your daypack and your hiking boots — today is National Take a Hike Day! The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages 1,200 miles of trail, home to some of the most popular hikes in Washington. In honor of this recreation-dedicated holiday, we’ve compiled a list of 10 trails that should go on your hiking bucket-list. Check it out!

Striped Peak Trail
Distance: 5 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate

Hikers traverse through old growth Douglas-fir trees and coastal scenery on this well-traveled trail which concludes with a spectacular view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island. There’s an option to expand your hike to explore an isolated rocky cove, the perfect place to view tide pools and watch waves crash on the beach.

Chelan Butte Trail
Distance: 7.5 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Bring along your camera on this sandy day hike. At the top of this steep trek, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of Lake Chelan and the Columbia River. This is a popular spot for paragliders, so keep an eye out once you’ve reached the summit.

Cutthroat Lakes via Walt Bailey Trail
Distance: 6 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Difficult

Discover several picturesque little lakes at the end of this difficult, but rewarding, backcountry trail. Scenic meadows and peek-a-boo views of ridgeline provide plenty of visual interest as hikers climb switchbacks galore. Be careful climbing this trail during late fall, as hazardous ice and snow can create issues for even the most experience hikers.

Whites Ridge Trail
Distance: 11 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate

Take in gorgeous views of Mount Adams and the Yakima valley while you trek this 10-mile loop. This trail is great for year-round use, especially in the fall when the foliage lights up with brilliant oranges, yellows, and reds. Hike the full distance, or shorten your trip by cutting back through logging roads.

Dishman Hills Natural Area Loop
Distance: 1.5 miles roundtrip, with additional trails to explore
Difficulty: Easy

Nestled in the hills near Spokane, this 1.5-mile loop is the perfect place to get away from the city for a breath of fresh air. With several additional trails connected to the main loop, hikers can easily customize their adventure. Keep an eye out for cottontail rabbit, porcupines, and whitetail deer, all which frequent the area.

Disappointment Trail
Distance: 5 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate

Hugged close to the Canadian border, this Loomis State Forest hike has a deceiving name. The trail guides recreationalists through towering evergreen trees and up an open ridge. Pack a lunch and chow down while you take in the views of Disappointment Peak and Snowshoe Mountain.

Tarbell Trail Loop
Distance: 22 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Sections of this trail are more than a century old, but it’s still a beloved recreation spot for many. This 22-mile loop is very customizable and offers several natural attractions, like a clear view of Mount Hood and a waterfall.

Manastash Ridge
Distance: 4.0 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate

Hikers are surrounded by stunning views for the majority of this journey, including a sweeping panorama of the Kittitas Valley with the Stuart Range peeking up in the distance. As the name suggests, the trail follows a ridgeline, often shared with horseback riders and mountain bikers.

Mount Teneriffe
Distance: 13 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Located in close proximity to the popular Mount Si trail system, Teneriffe is a less-frequented trail that offers equally beautiful panoramic views. Hikers take a gentle climb through meadows and forested areas before a rocky scramble to reach the summit. There’s an added option to extend the hike with a detour to Teneriffe Falls, a tall, narrow waterfall with a 22-switchback climb.

Douglass Falls Grange Park Nature Loop
Distance: 1.5 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy

Get your blood pumping with this quick and easy nature loop in eastern Washington. The loop climbs through deep green conifer forests near a creek, leading up to a 60-foot waterfall. Short and sweet, this is a great trail for families.

It’s World Tsunami Awareness day, an occasion to become better prepared and less scared of the monstrous waves.

Washington State has the second highest tsunami risk behind California because of its close proximity to the tectonic plates, crustal faults, and large subduction zone. But Department of Natural Resource scientists, have created materials to educate Washington residents of these risks.

Tsunamis in Washington

Since 1700, Washington has experienced multiple tsunamis that were generated from earthquakes caused by the tectonic plates off the coast.

When an earthquake hits, scientists expect a tsunami to land on Washington’s coast within 15 minutes of the initial strike. Two hours and 30 minutes later it is projected to hit the Tacoma waterfront after passing through the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Washington faces danger from both distant-source earthquakes and other natural disasters.

In 1964, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake in Alaska’s Prince William Sound produced a tsunami with 12-foot waves that flooded Washington’s coastal towns, even sweeping away a bridge over the Copalis River.

Large waves generated by the 9.2 magnitude Alaskan earthquake in 1964 destroyed this bridge in Washington State.

Several of Washington’s largest historic tsunamis were triggered by landslides, such as the 1980 tsunami produced by the Mount St. Helens eruption in Spirit Lake, and the Hat Island tsunami that buried an entire village in the 1820s.

Additionally, eastern Washington faces tsunami hazards, as multiple landslide-induced tsunamis have been recorded in Lake Roosevelt. 

Cascadia Earthquakes

The last Cascadia Earthquake, was recorded 319 years ago in 1700, it shook Washington, and surrounding states, and even Japan with a 9.0 magnitude. Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes occur every 300-600 years when the larger North American tectonic plate is pushed upwards by the Juan de Fuca plate.

Scientists at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), have put together tsunami evacuation maps and a detailed video simulation illustrating the path, intensity, and effects on surrounding areas the next Cascadia Earthquake-induced tsunami is expected to have.   

Understanding Tsunamis

Many tsunamis are generated from the force of tectonic plates thrusting together. The energy that is emitted from this collision reverberates into the water creating a surge that forms large swells of fast moving water.

The greater the depth of water, the faster the water moves, reaching speeds up to 500 mph, the equivalent of a jet plane. As it reaches land, the water becomes shallower. It will slow to speeds of 20 to 30 mph but that is still faster than humans are able to run.

Unlike wind-driven waves, tsunami waves have greater wavelengths allowing them to maintain their force as they move inland, ultimately creating more potential for damage. Flooding from a tsunami wave can last for as short as several minutes up to multiple hours. This is the reason tsunami experts warn that the first wave may not be the most dangerous. In fact, it is the following waves that people should beware.

What we need to know!

All this being said, how should we prepare? Below is a list of preparedness tips, resources, and helpful information to make sure you’re ready when you feel the earth shake.

1. Be informed: sign up for text alerts from local government and emergency alert stations. Look for signs when you visit coastal cities.
2. Know your surroundings: if you are near the coastline, know where you can evacuate to higher ground.
3. Know your evacuation route: if possible, identify multiple evacuation routes in case one is not accessible. You can check for evacuation routes in your area here.
4. Plan ahead: if you are visiting the coast, ask your hotel staff what their evacuation route is. Likewise with schools, ask what their evacuation plan is—a route to higher ground or vertical evacuation as seen here.
5. Have a communication strategy: develop a way to communicate with your family to ensure they are safe should you be separated. Choose a meeting spot on high ground and practice getting to that spot in various conditions.
6. Preparedness packs: put together emergency bags for your family and pets to take when you evacuate. It is recommended to stock the bag with 2-weeks worth of supplies.
7. Prepare all locations: place a preparedness pack in your car, at work, at school, on your boat, and in your house to ensure you are ready no matter where you are.
8. Maritime preparedness: if you are on a boat out in the water, move to depths of 180ft. Wait until you are given the all clear from officials to come back to the harbor. If you are in the harbor, exit your boat and move to higher ground.
9. Stay updated: purchase a battery operated radio to receive updates from NOAA weather radio station.
10. Pass it on: share your knowledge with friends and refer them to these links for more detailed information.

• https://www.dnr.wa.gov/programs-and-services/geology/geologic-hazards/tsunamis/tsuinfo-alert
• https://mil.wa.gov/preparedness
• https://www.ready.gov/tsunamis
• https://www.tsunami.gov
• https://nws.weather.gov/nthmp/

As guardians of the home of the largest bat-breeding colony found in the State, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wants you to know that bats are a real treat – on Halloween and every day of the year.

There’s something batty going on with these little mammals. They actually look like flying mice. It makes sense why the German word for bat is “Fledermaus”, meaning, “fluttering mouse.”

You can go and check these little guys out for yourself at Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area. The NRCA is open year-round. Even though bats become popular around Halloween, the best time to see them is actually in the summer. Come to Woodard Bay any clear summer evening to watch the bats emerge at dusk from the old logging pier that they call home. Or, you can wait until after April when bats will return by the thousands to roost.

Bats might seem a little scary, but they’re actually just plain cute. They tend to get a bad rap because of the misconceptions that surround them. No, our Washington species don’t eat blood. No, they don’t get in your hair. And, no, you won’t get rabies from them unless you happen to handle and get bitten by the rare individual carrying rabies. Bats are good to have around – really good.

Bats are some of the most diverse and amazing animals in the world. In fact, they are the second most varied mammal group behind rodents. There are more than 1,300 species of bats in the world with the highest diversity in tropical realms such as Columbia and Indonesia. Yet bats occur in virtually all non-polar environments.

In Washington, we have 15 species of bat, some of which migrate in the cold months to either hibernaculum sites (often suitable caves) or places where insects are available. Little brown bats have been found to migrate 200-800 km (125 to 500 miles) to hibernate. We actually know very little about bat migration.

What do they eat?

Bats are important for keeping insect populations in balance. The yuma myotis and little brown myotis bats at Woodard Bay eat mostly smaller insects such as mosquitoes, midges, and flies. They can consume up to 600 of them in just one hour.

Residents from Henderson Inlet to Olympia, Tumwater, and Lacey benefit from their bug-devouring ways. Locations as far away as Capitol Lake, Black Lake, Long Lake, and Pattison Lake are also confirmed feeding sites for this colony.

But chances are that wherever you live in Washington, you have local bats treating you to summers with fewer bugs.

Bats hunt by emitting high frequency sounds that bounce off their flying insect prey, (yes, just like a radar), and this enables them to locate prey even in total darkness. They also use this amazing ability to fly in places full of obstacles and navigate in darkness. Toothed whales (like dolphins or sperm whales) also have this ability and even a few tiny shrews.

Bat Populations at Risk

Bats are in trouble. Besides being sometimes reviled for reasons of superstition or wrong-headedness, there are big environmental troubles out there.

White Nose Syndrome has been decimating bat colonies in hibernation in the eastern United States. It is a fungus that can live in the cool, moist conditions where clustered bats congregate during hibernation. Their respiratory systems clog up and they die — by the millions.

It is feared that up to 80 percent of eastern U.S. bats have perished in recent years. Unfortunately, a case of this disease was detected in Washington state just last year. Please contact the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife if you find a sick or dead bat, or if you notice bats unable to fly. You can report your observations online.

Learn more about DNR’s Natural Area Preserves and Natural Resources Conservation Areas that serve to conserve and restore lands for species like Washington’s bats.

 

Fall is here and with it comes rough weather conditions that wreak havoc on your property. Storms can quickly create hazardous trees or limbs, but there’s no need to compound the adverse event by raising the risks of a runaway wildfire.

As we round the end of the year, take advantage of periods of sunshine with little to no rain to assess your property and see if you have any trees or limbs that could be a hazard during the next storm or bout of bad weather.

Because outdoor burning is a leading cause of wildfire ignitions (yes, even in the wet months), think about options other than burning when you need to clear away yard and tree debris. Outdoor burning not only can be a fire hazard, but it can also create unhealthy smoke for your surrounding community.

Especially on the west side, keep an eye on the forecast for winds that are expected to come through the Cascade gaps. This is never good news if you are doing any type of outdoor burning. East winds bring dry, warm air, which can make outdoor burning a high risk of starting a fire.

Want to know what happens when an outdoor burn pile gets out of control?
Listen below.

Many communities, like Virginia Grainger Elementary School in Okanogan, are having clean up or compost parties. This not only brings neighbors together, but it also is a chance to get your property lean and clean before a wildfire comes through.

Before any burning, check with your local clean air agency to see if there is an air quality burn ban in place and look at local monitors to see current air quality levels.

Outdoor burning is a cause of smoke and certain pollutants. This smoke can be unhealthy because the small particles in smoke are so tiny, they can easily get into your lungs. People most at risk are children, patients with respiratory illnesses, and adults over 65 years old.

If you must burn, know the rules, and choose the right weather for burning. If you have a burn barrel, don’t use it. Burn barrels are illegal in Washington state.

Fortunately, there are burning alternatives, such as chipping and composting, which are easy and practical ways to dispose of many organic materials or convert them to another use.

Alternatives to outdoor burning 

• Compost it – It’s a practical and convenient approach for disposing of forest debris. Any vegetable matter can be composted. Organic material, such as fallen leaves, grass clippings, weeds, and the remains of garden plants, make excellent compost. Used as mulch for paths where it will eventually decompose and become compost to use in your garden. Check with your local county extension office, city, or county for schedules of composting classes.
• Chip it – Turn large branches and debris into mulch. If you don’t already own a chipper, check with your local equipment rental agency. Invite your neighbors to join in to make it more cost efficient for everyone.
• Use curbside pickup – Check with your local government or waste management company to see if your area offers curbside collection of yard waste.
• Take it to an approved landfill that accepts forest debris – Many counties have forest debris waste composting facilities.
• Host a neighborhood cleanup day

Remember, escaped wildfires are investigated and, if found guilty, you can be fined. If burning is allowed in your area, the only material that can be burned is natural vegetation grown on the property where the burning occurs. Be sure to check DNR’s webpage on silvicultural outdoor burning.

 

Bob Bordeaux’s father, Bruce, wasn’t the reminiscing type.

Growing up, Bob was fairly naive to his father’s family history. He knew his dad came from a respected logging family, but beyond that, his vision of his dad’s childhood was blank.

“My dad’s life, to me, existed once he got married,” Bob said. “He never talked about anything before that.”

Bruce’s grandfather, Bob’s great-grandfather, was Joe Bordeaux, one of the original brothers Bordeaux, the trio that built a small mill town near Capitol Forest. In the early 1900s, the town of Bordeaux was bustling with activity, with more than 400 workers employed at the brothers’ company, Mason County Logging.

Bruce lived in this town as a small child, one of the last of the Bordeaux line to live in the area before it became a ghost town. Bob said his father rarely, if ever, spoke about this part of their family history. In the years since his father’s passing, Bob has found himself aching to learn more about his family.

“The older I get, the more I kind of wonder, ‘Well, what was dad like?’”

So he set out to find a literal connection to his family’s roots.

He reached out to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to get a piece of a tree from the Bordeaux forest, an area the agency now manages as part of the Capitol State Forest. He wants to use the wood to make commemorative keepsakes for his family, “so everyone can have a piece of Bordeaux.”

A PART OF HISTORY

Brandon Mohler, DNR’s Black Hills district manager, said this was the first time he’d ever gotten a request like this, but was happy to help Bob find something for his project.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” Mohler said. “Especially with a family connection like this, there’s so much history. And it’s a part of DNR history, too.”

Mohler and Bob met up to walk through an area where timber harvest activities had recently been completed by DNR. This project is especially important to Bob because he doesn’t have many objects to remember his father’s side of the family by—he wasn’t a collector, he said.  Bob cherishes the items he does have, like an antique table he inherited.

Brandon Mohler, DNR’s Black Hills district manager, walks Bob Bordeaux through an area of Capitol State Forest to find a piece of wood for his family project.

“I’m happy every day that it is there,” he said. “It’s nothing fancy, scratched up after years of service, but it is pretty cool.”

As the two sifted through pieces of wood in the forested area, Bob reminisced about the time he spent in the area as a child. Despite his family’s history there, he can count the times he’s visited Bordeaux on one hand.

The small logging town experienced a sharp decline after a succession of forest fires gave the Black Hills their name. By 1941, it had become a ghost town.

Bob grew up in Yakima, but remembers swinging by to pick blackberries in the area when he was in grade school and thinking to himself, “No, there wasn’t a town here.” It was so overgrown and desolate, it was inconceivable to think his family once lived there, along with many others.

Indeed, it is tough to imagine the town was occupied by anything other than deer and Douglas-fir. Besides the shadows of a few forgotten structures, there’s no sign of the booming logging industry that once was.

Although his father was quiet about his time in Bordeaux, his grandmother, “was even more tight-lipped than my dad,” he said.

But as an adult, he’s having more conversations about his family’s colorful history with his mother and siblings.

“Now that I’m in my 50s, my dad has passed, I’m the youngest of the kids, you don’t need to protect a lot as far as the family stories,” Bordeaux said.

Once Mohler and Bob had pulled a couple of suitable tree scraps for the project, Bob pulled a small vintage suitcase from his truck, inscribed with the initials, “BB.”

Bob Bordeaux shows off old photos passed down from family members which give an idea what Bordeaux was like in the past.

“My dad’s,” he said with a small smile. It’s one of the few personal items he has to remember his father by. Bob pulled publications and photographs from the case that he’s collected over the years, all of which documented what life was like in Bordeaux in its prime.

“It fascinates me what life must’ve been like,” he said. He pulled out a photo of a group of loggers dated around the 1920s. “You can almost smell them just from the photo,” he said with a chuckle.

Bob wants to surprise his family members with the keepsakes he’ll make from the wood he got from Bordeaux. He’ll pass them along to his wife, daughter, mother, and two siblings, hoping to surprise them with a real-life connection to their family’s logging history.

Happy Bioenergy Day!

Today, we’re celebrating a significant accomplishment of bioenergy at a Washington school district. It’s been about a year since a new wood pellet boiler was installed at a Northport school in northeast Washington, a project in collaboration with the Washington state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the state Department of Commerce, and the Washington State University (WSU) Energy Program.

Bioenergy Day is a celebration of the ecological, social, and economic benefits of using organically-sourced energy.

What is Bioenergy?

Bioenergy is an efficient, sustainable form of energy that uses organic material to generate heating, cooling, or electricity. Commonly used materials include the byproducts of forest thinning, such as smaller trees, and agricultural and urban food waste.

The Northport boiler gets its juice from wood pellets, a much more sustainable option than the previously installed diesel-fueled heating system. These pellets are often made from byproducts of timber harvests or forest restoration activities – a convenient, sustainable use for organic material that might otherwise go unused.

The pellets are renewable and clean-burning, created in pellet-mills around the United States. These mills create jobs in heavily forested areas, often serving rural communities in need of sustainable jobs. Northport’s wood pellets come from Hauser, Idaho, but School District Superintendent Don Baribault has heard some talk within the community about hopes for local sourcing in the future.

It’s estimated that 1 million residences or businesses use wood pellets as a heating source, according to the Pellet Fuels Institute.

The First Year Report

First and foremost, Baribault says the wood pellet boiler has given some much needed warmth to the school, especially since the old system had begun to fail. Northport was in search of something that would be reliable and long lasting.

“Based on screening schools across Washington, Northport appeared among the most suitable sites for converting from oil heat to densified biomass,” said David Van Holde, senior energy engineer with the WSU Energy Program. “More importantly, the engagement and support by the superintendent and school board throughout the process ensured the project’s success.”

(Left to right) Superintendent of Northport School District Don Baribault, David Van Holde, senior energy engineer with the Washington State University Energy Program, commerce senior energy policy specialist Peter Moulton, Department of Commerce Director Lisa Brown, Anne Nelson with Department of Natural Resources and Andrew Haden, president of Wisewood Energy gather in front of the Northport wood pellet boiler.

Last year, Baribault said the boiler went through approximately 50 tons of wood pellets. According to the Energy Information Association, one ton of pellets is the energy equivalent to 2.8 barrels of distillate home heating oil.

Although the audit hasn’t been fully completed, Baribault said he believes the pellet boiler will save at least $10,000 a year.

The school’s campus serves roughly 200 students, many of whom thought the project was pretty “cool,” Baribault said, especially the youngest of the group who saw the crane installing the boiler and asked if they were getting a rocket ship.

To learn more about the Northport boiler, check out this blog from last year. You can learn more about Bioenergy Day here.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites the public to come visit the North Mountain Bike Trail System, located adjacent to the community of Darrington, WA, with over 10 miles of new trails officially open beginning Saturday, October 19.

In partnership with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, Darrington community, legislative leaders, Washington Conservation Corps, DNR trail crews, volunteers, Skagit and Snohomish Counties, DNR is opening the North Mountain Bike Trail System. About an hour from Everett, this trail system offers breathtaking views of Whitehorse Mountain and the Stillaguamish Valley.

Click to view slideshow.

“With around 10.5 trail miles opening on North Mountain’s upper slopes, new downhill trails provide a variety of challenges for riders with advanced skills.  This higher elevation trail system complements the 4-miles of lower North Mountain Bike Skills Area trails opened in 2017, offering skill-building for riders to eventually progress to the upper mountain shuttle zone,” said Sam Jarrett, DNR’s Trails Program Manager, who led DNR project management.

As the winter season approaches with more consistent precipitation and potential for snow on upper elevation trail segments, visitors should carefully consider the weather and resulting trail conditions before visiting.  Several advanced difficulty skill level trails are built to a more primitive development standard, trail crews will be tackling maintenance needs throughout the winter and spring months as trails wear in.

“Working with project partners, we are planning an in-person grand opening celebration event to occur spring 2020, at that time we expect to have a final trail connection in place that will link the upper mountain trails to the skills area.  This will allow visitors an option to descend the longest available system trail, starting near the roughly 3,800’ elevation North Mountain summit, and ending near local businesses in Darrington,” says Jarrett.

This project could not have happened without support from leaders at the town of Darrington, local businesses that supported various components of the project, including HiLine Helicopters Inc. and Three Rivers Cutting, and the hundreds of hours of donated volunteer labor contributed to developing the trails.

For more information about the trail system and to download a map visit DNR’s project web page at dnr.wa.gov/DarringtonMTB. Insert trail system map or link on the project page

Background

DNR held the two open houses for the project in Darrington and Arlington in November 2015. You can view the comments we received at public input stations at the Darrington and Arlington open houses.

Share your thoughts

To connect with our project manager, send us an email. To hear more about the project, sign up to receive updates on this project through our Darrington Mountain Bike E-news and connect with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages.  Class 1 electric mountain bikes (eMTBs) will be allowed on trails as a pilot project in our Darrington/North Mountain trail system.

This pilot project is expected to last through October 2020 and will provide one source of data gathering to help inform long-term suitability of e-bike usage on DNR lands.  WA Bill 6434: “Class 1 electric-assisted bicycle” means an electric-assisted bicycle in which the motor provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of twenty miles per hour.”

To participate in a project survey, including feedback on eMTB use on North Mountain, please visit the following survey link:  www.surveymonkey.com/r/3NQCFGL

With more people living in or near wildfire zones, such as forests and scrublands, it’s important for homeowners to learn how to reduce wildfire risks to their property.

Imagine 62 miles-per-hour wind gusts blowing in your neighborhood.

Twenty-eight years ago, Washington state experienced the fire of the century, titled ‘Fire Storm’ because that’s exactly what took place. The conditions were just right to create the perfect storm.

On October 16, 1991, 62 mph wind gusts were recorded in eastern Washington. The forests, brush, and grasslands were extremely dry. Because of a harsh combination of dry, unseasonably warm, and windy conditions, 92 wildfires quickly started.

Approximately 90% of the fires started because gale-force winds snapped power lines or trees fell into power lines.

During this time, northeast Washington was in the midst of high population growth. Many more homes were built in what we call the wildland urban interface (WUI), where homes and forest mix. These homes presented a challenge for firefighters; the majority of structures lost to wildfire were located in the WUI. One fatality occurred during the fire and 114 homes and numerous other structures were destroyed. Wildfires have become more disastrous as people move into the WUI.

Lessons learned and state mobilization established

Homeowners affected by Fire Storm were caught with a lack of knowledge about the wildfire risks where they lived. As a result, the National Fire Protection Association developed Firewise, a program to educate and assist homeowners in protecting themselves from wildfire. Firewise created a website for a national audience to provide the best available information on home wildfire safety. The website provides popular videos and instructional materials for nurseries, landscape professionals, and home owners.

Research dating back to the 1960s shows that the two major risk factors for homes during wildfires are:

• A flammable roof, vulnerable to the embers thrown during a wildfire
• Vegetation close to a house that generates enough heat or flames to ignite siding or other parts of the home

During Fire Storm, local firefighting resources were overwhelmed with the number of fires. As a result, the State Mobilization Plan was created. The plan quickly and efficiently brings in Washington Fire Service personnel and equipment from around the state when a wildfire exceeds a local fire department’s capacities.

These resources can include fire engines, firefighters, aircraft, heavy equipment and Incident Management Teams. These teams – part of the National Incident Management System – are made up of Department of Natural Resources, federal and fire service personnel.

Check out the mobilization process that is under the authority of the Washington State Patrol.

Fire Storm has resulted in a greater local and statewide awareness of the problems associated with people living in the wildland urban interface.

For more information, read the Fire Storm 1991 Case Study

Quick facts about Fire Storm 1991

Maximum wind gust: 62 mph
Homes destroyed: 114
Acres burned: 35,000
Homes threatened: 511
Separate fires: 92
Firefighters at fire: 4,000
Fire engines responding: 400
Fatalities: 1
Largest single fire: 13,840 acres
9-1-1 calls received, first 24 hours: 3,000

The Great #ShakeOut is nearly here! While you’re preparing to drop, cover, and hold on during the drill, pump up with our earthquake-inspired playlist. This combination of rockin’ tunes is dedicated to everything related to shaking, rattling, and rolling.

 

Plumes of black smoke rising ominously over the horizon. Bright orange flames licking up from the forest floor with dizzying speed. A canvas of black and white scorched earth left behind.

The destructive images from the wake of a catastrophic wildfire are easy to remember. But it’s just as easy to forget the renewal and growth that smaller fires can bring.

From our coastal prairielands to forests in eastern Washington, many habitats in our state depend on a cycle of low-intensity fire. For more than a century, however, the power of fire was stifled by well-intentioned wildfire fighting efforts. This fire suppression resulted in the overgrown, unbalanced ecosystems we see today in prairies and many of our central and eastern Washington forests.

Historically, low severity fires would burn periodically, reducing litter build up and paving the way for new life. Flora and fauna within these habitats evolved, adapting to the wildfire cycle and, in many cases, became dependent on their occurrence.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is working to bring the wilderness back to its original splendor through prescribed burning – controlled burns for forest maintenance or habitat restoration. These controlled burns are designed to mimic low-intensity wildfires that would naturally occur.

“Prescribed fire can play a major role in the natural world by creating healthy ecosystems for plants and animals to flourish,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, who leads the DNR. “With proper planning and oversight, we can put fire to work for us and reduce the fuels that contribute to dangerous, severe wildfires.”

DNR is focused on two general types of habitats: The agency’s Natural Areas Program has been burning in prairies for years, and DNR’s Forest Health and Resiliency Division is launching a Prescribed Fire Program to restore the dry ponderosa-dominated forests of central and eastern Washington.

Prairie restoration burning

In prairies, without frequent fires to clear moss and deep thatch accumulation, native plants suffocate. There has been a substantial loss of habitat from encroaching trees and shrubs from surrounding forests; the native prairies of today are thought to be limited to only 3 percent of their former extent.

On a mild, sunny day in October, DNR conducted a controlled burn at the Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve.

“Mima Mounds is one of the largest remnants of the native prairies that occurred in this region historically,” said David Wilderman, Natural Areas ecologist for DNR. “Fire is a key component in maintaining prairies.”

This particular burn was long-awaited, and nearly didn’t happen thanks to soggy western Washington weather. Conditions have to be just right to conduct an effective, safe prairie burn, Wilderman said. And, it’s not just the weather that can halt a prescribed burn – fire crews have to pay particular attention to wind conditions.

One way this burn will renew the prairie is through the elimination of some fire-intolerant invasive species, like Scotch broom. Mima Mounds is dotted with areas of this green, brushy nuisance. The plant reproduces by seed, which can stay viable for nearly 80 years, Wilderman said.

“(Fire) also helps rejuvenate native prairie plants and wildflowers,” he said, citing camas as an example. “Camas is an important native food plant for Native Americans and an important nectar plant for butterflies in the spring.”

Even the smoke from controlled burns can have a positive effect on the landscape. Wilderman said for some native species, contact with smoke can result in more effective seed germination.

 

Forest restoration burning

Many forests can also reap benefits from a controlled burn. Frequent, low-intensity burns clear built-up woody debris, diminishing the types of fuels that lead to high-severity fires, which are difficult for forests to recover from and put our communities at risk.

A controlled burn can help manage invasive species and weeds, as the majority of native plants are adapted to the wildfire cycle whereas many invasives are not. In addition, controlled forest burns can prevent plant diseases, cycle nutrients in the soil and increase habitat for grazing wildlife.

The forests of central and eastern Washington have grown too dense and homogenized over time, resulting in a loss of varied habitat. A truly healthy forest is ever-changing, alternating with sections of fresh burns, young growth and established old growths. Several animal species, such as the Canada Lynx, depend on a morphing forest for survival as they use different habitats for hunting, raising babies and mating.

Read more about the state’s 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan to restore forest health and reduce wildfire risk here.

Wind storms are a fact of life in Washington state, but were you around when the Columbus Day Storm hit in 1962?

One of Washington’s most severe windstorms hit 57 years ago today, however, many Washingtonians weren’t born yet and won’t remember it.

Considered the ‘granddaddy of all windstorms’ in these parts, the storm claimed 46 lives (seven in Washington state) and injured hundreds more in less than 12 hours. In the Willapa Hills of southwestern Washington, a wind gust of 160 mph was recorded.

More than 11,000,000,000 board feet of timber was blown down in northern California, Oregon, and Washington combined. After an intense timber salvage effort, many back country roads were created and continue to be used by hunters, recreationists, and loggers today.

The aftermath of the Oct. 12, 1962 Columbus Day Storm.

Severe weather events may be infrequent, but the anniversary of the Columbus Day Storm serves as a good reminder to be prepared.

What can you do to prepare for the ferocious wind storms that strike our state almost every winter?

Take a moment to remember or learn about this storm and use it as motivation. Prepare your trees, ready your boats, and check out the Washington State Emergency Management Division’s “Windstorms in Washington State” publication for survival tips. It could prevent your boat from sinking, keep you from losing power, or even save your home.

Whatever storms you’ve experienced, DNR encourages you to join other Washington residents in preparing your trees before the next big one hits. Take action now to reduce the damage caused by windstorms.

If you need tree care advice, remember to take always contact a certified arborist.

Rural fire districts play an essential role in managing wildfires in Washington. But without the proper resources, their work can only go so far.

That’s where the Department of Natural Resource (DNR) Fire District Assistance Program can help. We administer grants to help local fire districts and departments obtain the best means to fight wildfire.

Qualifying fire districts and departments can use assistance grants to purchase general fire equipment, as well as fund a variety of eligible fire-improvement projects.

This U.S.D.A. Forest Service funding provides a 50 percent match of what the recipient spends.

The grants are available to fire protection districts and departments in Washington state that respond to wildland fires on private, state, or federal lands and:

• Serve communities with a population of 10,000 or fewer residents, or
• Serve communities of more than 10,000 residents AND a service area that includes a rural community of fewer than 10,000 residents.

DNR’s Volunteer Fire Assistance Phase 2 grant applications are open Oct. 15 through Dec. 1.

Grant requirements, including district eligibility, and types of projects eligible for funding can be viewed at DNR’s Fire District Assistance Program webpage starting Tuesday, Oct. 15.

More about the program

DNR’s Fire District Assistance Program is the conduit for fire districts and departments to participate in the USFS Firefighter Property and Volunteer Fire Assistance programs.

These programs reduce costs for taxpayers and improve local and state agencies’ response to wildfires. For example, local fire districts and departments can obtain used excess military equipment and help pay for its conversion to wildland fire use. Eligible fire districts can apply to DNR for assistance from these programs.

 

October is Urban and Community Forestry Month (aka tree month), and for all that trees do for us, it’s only fitting that we return the favor.

This is the eighth year Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has officially proclaimed October as a month dedicated to trees. To celebrate, the state departments of Enterprise Services (DES) and Natural Resources (DNR) are collaborating to plant 100 new trees on the Capitol Campus between October 2019 and April 2020. DNR will buy many of the trees, and DES will plant and maintain them.

The DES/DNR partnership dovetails with the 100-themed “Centennial Challenge” issued by the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) in recognition of the organization’s 100th anniversary. NASF is a non-profit organization made up of state foresters from across the country and exists to support the states’ delivery of programs, such as urban forestry, that promote responsible management and protection of forests on non-federal lands.

Trees serve as living, breathing assets that make our communities healthier, cleaner, and more vibrant. A healthy tree canopy scrubs the air of pollutants, absorbs stormwater runoff, attenuates noise, buffers winds, conserves energy, provides wildlife habitat and beautifies the landscape. With plenty of moisture and crisp, cool weather, autumn is a great time to adjust the saplings to their new home.

The first of the new trees on the block will be planted in conjunction with an event to celebrate Urban Forestry Month on the Washington State Capitol campus on Friday, October 18th. The public is invited to join the event in Olympia at noon, at the corner of Capitol Way and Sid Snyder Ave. S.W.

Fall is a wonderful time in Washington as our trees and forests reveal the natural magic of their fall colors. Washington’s native deciduous trees, such as bigleaf maple, cottonwood, aspen, birch, and the western larch, specialize in shades of yellow fall colors, whereas our urban forests, planted with many non-native trees, paint our cities and towns with hues of orange, red and purple that stir the human spirit.

Throughout the month of October, DNR’s social media feeds on Twitter and Facebook will feature tree care tips, suggested trees to consider planting, and info on the many benefits of trees.

Trees are a gift to us all, so come out and join us on the 18th to celebrate.

Happy Urban & Community Forestry Month!

It should have been a routine workday for Walter Escobar.

The assistant fire unit manager in the Department of Natural Resources’ Southeast Region had a young firefighter cut down a burning tree.

As the firefighter followed Escobar’s assignment, the unexpected happened – a large, burning branch fell and struck the firefighter.

Because the firefighter was looking up, he was able to duck out of the way. The branch clipped his arm and left a nasty bruise, but the incident still haunts Escobar.

If the firefighter hadn’t been following protocol, he could have been killed.

“That was my call,” Escobar said. “It was my decision.”

Escobar isn’t the only person in the fire industry awake at night thinking about the “what-ifs.” The stressors of a severe wildfire season don’t dissipate after the fires have been extinguished. When the ash settles and wildfire crews have gotten their hard-earned break, they are carrying much more than their gear home.

‘YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME’

Every year, fire crews head out into the Washington state wilderness, primed to take on the beast that is wildfire. Firefighters work grueling hours, providing plenty of time to form close bonds with their counterparts. Many crews connect deeply through the experience of doing tough work with service-minded people.

“You spend so much time with your crew, they become your home away from home,” said Escobar, who worked on a 20-person hand crew for the majority of his career. Hand crews go back into landscapes that are inaccessible to vehicles, using tools like chain saws and Pulaskis to create fire lines. Although some are career firefighters, many of them are hired only for fire season.

Heading back home after the primary fire season can be a burden on some firefighters, especially those who work seasonally.

Seasonal workers spend six to eight months with their crewmates, forming a tight-knit community at work. When that newly formed family is taken away at the end of a season, some can struggle to readjust, said Josh Mohler, North Unit Assistant Fire Manager for Lewis, Grays Harbor, and Pacific counties for DNR. Mohler has worked seasonally for the majority of his firefighting career.

Some find it hard to find jobs in the off-season and connect with their old communities, he said, but for others, the issue dives even deeper.

“A lot of folks, we invest our personalities into our jobs,” Mohler said. “When I started as a volunteer, I was that guy wearing all the shirts, buying all the firefighter paraphernalia, spending whatever free time my wife would allow me down at the fire station. I was all in.”

A firefighter’s essence can become rooted in the thrill, pressure, and camaraderie of the work itself. When wildfire season ends, some feel like they are losing not only their family, but part of their identity, too, Mohler said.

“Anytime you’re removed from something that you’ve invested so much of your personality into, it leaves a gap that you don’t know what to do with.”

FIGHTING THE ‘TOUGH-GUY’ TYPECAST

Despite the struggles seasonal and permanent wildland firefighters deal with, mental health isn’t a topic frequently brought up among crews. Mohler, Escobar, and other DNR fire employees are working to change that.

In recent years, there has been a reported increase of mental health issues within wildland firefighter communities.  Mohler doesn’t deny that it has become more of an issue, but believes it has been lying under the surface for years.

“I think these things have existed through generations, there’s just a few things in society that have changed. The fact that we’re having the conversation on breaking the stigma and talking about it is different,” Mohler said, adding that open conversations about mental health were not happening 20 years ago. “Old-timers were stoic about it, went about their life and kept it to themselves.”

Negative connotations associated with mental health were, and to an extent, still are prevalent among fire crews.

“There was a time when you didn’t dare talk about it,” Escobar said.

Gabe Baez, a safety officer with DNR, said this could be due to mental health issues being equated with weakness. Baez recognizes the well-established “tough-guy” wildland firefighter typecast which many may feel pressure to live up to.

Mohler sees the lack of communication around mental health as a serious issue and worries about those who may be bottling their emotions due to stigma. He uses an analogy of pebbles being placed in a pocket. Each stone signifies a struggle — if you add more and more stones to the pocket without sharing them with others, eventually, they’ll overflow.

Although there aren’t strong statistics on mental health for wildland firefighters, many firefighters have been affected, or know a crewmate affected by the issue.

“I’ve had several people within my close circle of comrades and workmates that have been severely affected by the compounding effects of the job,” Mohler said.

The Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue lost one of their own on Sept. 19, 2019. The group is mourning the loss of Battalion Chief Mike Zainfeld, who took his own life after 25 years of service at Cowlitz 2. Zainfeld worked in both wildland fire and incident management along the way, also as a seasonal wildland firefighter for DNR.  Due to his struggles with PTSD as a result of job-related incidents, Cowlitz 2 considers his death a line of duty event.

Battalion Chief Mike Zainfeld’s memorial procession on Oct., 1, 2019 in Longview, WA.

Cowlitz 2 was very transparent the circumstances of Zainfeld’s passing. Fire Chief Dave Lafave said evasiveness wasn’t an option.

“I learned a long time ago, ‘tell the truth’,” Lafave said. “We need to make sure it doesn’t happen again, but how do we do that if we don’t talk about it?”

Lafave worked with Zainfeld for many years, and has worked in the fire industry for 36 years. Over the course of his career he’s seen major changes in how mental health is discussed among fire crews.

“When I started I was told to ‘buck up if you can’t take it.’ Repeatedly,” he said. But this isn’t the case anymore, Lafave said, and if you need to talk, there’s people there to listen. He hopes this tragedy will encourage others to intervene with their friends and family members if they see indicators of struggle. The earlier you say something, the more effective it will be, he said.

Mohler recognized his own struggle with mental health issues after working in the emergency industry for 20 years and experiencing an unexpected loss in his family.

“Being away from home and the stress of trying to function at 100 percent, 100 percent of the time, that created sleep anxiety. I was anxious because I needed to sleep but I couldn’t because I was anxious. It was a vicious cycle.”

Mohler is a self-described “fixer.” He’s good at finding solutions and making changes, but after several months of struggling, Mohler recognized that he wasn’t in control anymore.

“I couldn’t fix myself,” he said.

He sought help through DNR’s Employee Assistance Program. Mohler found a great deal of value in opening up with others, so he pursued tough conversations with his fellow firefighters.

“I felt like sharing my story gave others the opportunity to share theirs,” he said.

 ‘NOT ALL WOUNDS ARE VISIBLE’

As Mohler’s own struggles after two decades of fire service demonstrated, not all wounds are visible.

That became the focal message of the movement Mohler spearheaded at DNR, called “#breakthestigma,” to highlight the unseen mental health issues DNR firefighters face. The campaign raised money for the Eric Marsh Foundation, which supports wildland firefighters and their families through resource connections and financial support. #Breakthestigma also sought to raise awareness and increase the amount of open and empathetic peer conversations within DNR. Mohler plans to start the campaign again next spring.

Baez emphasized the need for active empathetic conversation within fire crews, before, during, and after wildfire season, something Escobar echoed separately. Specifically, Baez said supervisors should pave the way for their crew members.

The signs of internal struggle are visible, Baez said – you just have to look. Disruption in work ethic and personality changes could be a sign that something is wrong, and if you see something, you should say something.

Baez has worked in the fire industry for 17 years. Over the past decade, he has slowly seen more and more open and honest conversations about mental health. It started with a recognition and validation of the issue.

“We’ve identified that it is a problem,” Baez said.

Baez encourages all fire crew supervisors to communicate with their firefighters about seeking help, starting the process at the beginning of the season and reiterating it at the end. He also hopes seasonal crew members stay connected with their supervisors and fellow firefighters in the offseason to prevent the feeling of loss.

The realization that someone wants to check in with your mental well-being can make all the difference in some cases, Mohler said. Some wildland firefighters might feel awkward having these chats, but that doesn’t stop Mohler.

“If it saves one life, it’s all worth it,” he said.

For those seeking support, there are several resources available that allow for anonymity. Code 4 Northwest is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization that provides confidential crisis response for Washington state’s first responders, support personnel, and their families. All call-takers are current or former first responders who can talk an individual through crisis or refer them to counseling, peer support services, and more.

Pocket Peer from the Center for Firefighter Behavioral Health is another great resource for those in need. It is a service that provides informational videos, resources, and general support for firefighters and their friends and families.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration also provides a helpline for treatment referrals and general information. Firefighters in crisis can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

If you’d like to make a donation to Mike Zainfeld’s family, you can find the information at Honoringmikezainfeld.com.

 

Through the help of community volunteers and a new Firewise USA® pilot program, one Washington state neighborhood is taking wildfire safety into their own hands.

Six years ago, the Flowery Trail neighborhood was recognized as a Firewise USA® Site. In 2019, Firewise USA® challenged the community to become a “Site of Excellence” through a new pilot program for 2019-2020.

To earn this designation, the neighborhood must complete recommended mitigation tasks within 30 feet of every home and have 100% participation within the community boundary. Flowery Trail is one of only seven Firewise USA® Sites nationwide challenged in the Site of Excellence pilot project.

Flowery Trail is also one of our state’s 13 members of the Washington Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network.

When the first structures were built in Flowery Trail back in 1976, the community was not built with fire resiliency in mind. Surrounded by steep slopes with overgrown wildfire fuel, reason for concern doubled when community members realized they weren’t included in a fire district.

The threat of fire dawned on Dan Holman, member of the Flowery Trail Neighborhood Association, when his neighbor’s cabin burnt to the ground in 1995. Holman says this was the wake up call that lead to community action. Since then, the community has taken the initiative to reduce the risk of wildfire around their homes through major and minor changes.

One of the main focuses of the Flowery Trail Neighborhood Association in recent years is work in the zones within five feet of homes. Last year, they provided neighborhood members with gravel to create a non-ignition zone around their homes. Eighty percent of homes in Flowery Trail now have this barrier.

Although DNR is there to lend a hand when needed, Guy Gifford, DNR Fire Prevention and Firewise USA® Coordinator, says the Flowery Trail neighborhood took the tools and ran with it, putting forth a great deal of personal time and money. Every spring, Flowery Trail holds a two-day work party with specific goals in mind.

Members from the Flowery Trail Neighborhood Association operate a wood chipper during a  work party.

Encouraging your neighbors to do physical volunteer work may seem daunting, but according to Holman, over half of the neighborhood happily suits up in their work clothes to help the cause. For the most part, the community members are on the same page. The response is 90% positive, he says.

This year, the neighborhood will hold an additional work party on Saturday, Sept. 28 to celebrate the Site of Excellence honor. They will be removing wildfire fuel in a steep area where an excavator couldn’t reach in a previous work party.

As for the future of Flowery Trail, Holman has big plans moving forward. He hopes they can add more safety features to their community, including an extra generator that would allow them to pump massive amounts of water in the case of a power outage due to wildfire. They’d also like to add a second deep well, more water storage, and clear brush on empty lots in and around the neighborhood.

You can learn more about the Firewise USA® Sites of Excellence pilot program here.

Smokey Bear isn’t our only animal friend trying to reduce the spread of wildfires. The ravenous appetites of domesticated grazing animals may play a role in mitigating devastating blazes around Washington state.

When controlled burns or mechanical removal of wildfire fuel isn’t well-suited for an area, cows, goats, and sheep can lend a helping hoof. Through the power of munching and crunching, targeted grazing can effectively clear built-up green vegetative fire fuel in steep or difficult-to-access areas where there is high fire risk. Grazing animals are used because they have a particular taste for foliage that would be quick to ignite with even the tiniest spark.

“(Goats) love steep hillsides, soft terrain, windy paths, and rocky roads, too. They aren’t deterred by poison ivy or other vines we find harmful,” writes Craig Madsen about his company, Healing Hooves, a targeted goat grazing service based out of Edwall, Wash., outside of Spokane. Madsen says goat grazing is all about balance—finding the perfect time and place and balancing that with a landowner’s needs.

Forests and wildlands in central and eastern Washington are in dire need of some tender love and care. Over the past century, the health of these lands declined due to fire suppression, as well as past management practices or a lack of management.

Overgrown, ill-maintained forests and abandoned landscapes create an environment where massive blazes can burn quickly, spreading through forests, grasslands, and sagebrush landscapes, as well as through the neighborhoods that border these important wildlands, known as the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).

Under the leadership of Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has collaborated with more than 33 organizations and agencies to develop the 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan. The mission involves combating the spread of uncharacteristically severe wildfire by creating healthier forests primarily through mechanical thinning and controlled burns.

Grazing can be another tool when and where appropriate. Under the right circumstances, domesticated grazing animals can play a role in clearing fuel on prairies and shrub steppe landscapes that surround forests, for example.

Goats from Billy’s Goats targeted grazing service work on clearing wildfire fuel on the hillside behind the Broadview neighborhood in Wenatchee. (Courtesy of Chelan County Fire District 1)

Danny DeFranco, the executive vice president of the Washington Cattlemen’s Association, said he thinks of wildfire prevention as a tangential benefit of grazing. He recalled the 2012 Taylor Bridge Fire, which burned near an area he was working at the time. It burned up to a fence line and significantly slowed at the area that had been grazed in the weeks beforehand, he said.

Grass and leafy foliage is the preferred choice for sheep and cattle, but goats will also go for brushier fire fuels under some circumstances. They are also efficient multitaskers and have no trouble walking and eating in unison.

During a grazing project, the animals are typically restricted to a specific area where maintenance is required. This may be an area with a steep incline or some other impediment that makes it inconvenient for other forms of fuel reduction.

Chelan County Fire District 1 recently recruited a herd of 325 goats to clear out wildfire fuel in an area of Wenatchee that was devastated by the 2015 Sleepy Hollow Fire. The Sleepy Hollow Fire was fueled by a variety of sources, extremely high winds, houses with wood shake roofs and flashy fuels in the steep hills behind the Broadview neighborhood. It destroyed 30 homes and three businesses.

To assist in reducing fuel that has accumulated in recent years, the hooved gourmands were brought in. The area was too steep for mechanical or manual removal or controlled burning, the fire district said, but the goats had no trouble. They munched one acre at a time, and over the course of 10 days, they reduced fire fuel on a little more than 5 acres of land.

What to consider before grazing

Targeted grazing, like any form of fuel control, should be practiced with care. Poorly managed grazing can result in serious detrimental effects on an ecosystem. If used, targeted grazing should be closely monitored and overgrazing should be avoided.

Bringing in hundreds of trampling hooves on flat ground can result in soil compaction, which can affect native plants’ growing patterns, and grazing too frequently can quickly lead to erosion, a serious threat to a local ecosystem.

Jon Riley, the community wildfire liaison for Chelan County Fire District 1, recognizes that grazing isn’t the perfect solution for wildfire prevention. Riley, along with community wildfire specialist Hillary Heard, oversaw the grazing effort which was funded through a Hazard Mitigation Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Riley said that part of the area the goats worked on would likely need to be reseeded. In the areas with less native vegetation, the top soil was disturbed and shallow-rooted grasses were uprooted by hooves, clearing a path for erosion. Ideally, the goats wouldn’t be brought back into that area for at least two to three years so the ecosystem would have time to recover, he said.

DeFranco added that grazing can also help in the reseeding process; hoof action can redeposit seeds and promote new growth and biodiversity in a planned grazing system, he said. Certain issues associated with targeted grazing, like soil compaction, can be mitigated by limiting the amount of time allotted to grazing.

Not all landscapes are suited for a herd of animals to chow on — in fact, there’s probably no place that would provide the perfect circumstances, Riley said. They’ll do less damage on a hardy landscape with plenty of deep-rooted perennial grass coverage and a shrub canopy.

Those who choose targeted grazing as a wildfire prevention tool must look closely at the vegetation in their area and weigh the factors heavily. While it is a solid option for fuel control when mechanical removal and controlled burns are inconvenient, targeted grazing shouldn’t be used in every circumstance.

Thinking about using grazing animals on or near your woodlands? Contact a DNR forest-health scientist at foresthealth@dnr.wa.gov to see if it would be the right fit.

Even if you experience scattered rain showers in your area, our fire danger is still at hand. Please be safe as you go on outdoor adventures this weekend holiday.

So far this year, DNR has had 1,031 wildfires in Washington state, and the Department of Natural Resources needs your help to make sure we don’t have more.

Here’s how you can help prevent wildfires:

We suggest always check to see if there are local burn restrictions or bans on campfires before leaving home to go camping or hiking. Because campgrounds may choose to ban campfires, it is best to check with the campground host before lighting a campfire.

In areas where campfires are allowed:

• Use an existing fire ring; don’t create a new one.
• Clear all vegetation away from the fire ring (remove all flammable materials, such as pine needles, leaves, and branches).
• Keep your campfire small.
• Keep plenty of water and a shovel nearby for throwing dirt on the fire if it gets out of control.
• Never leave a campfire unattended.

When putting out your campfire, you should:

1. Drown the campfire with water.
2. Mix the ashes and embers with soil. Scrape all partially burned sticks and logs to remove all hot embers from them.
3. Stir the embers after they are covered with water and make sure everything is wet.
4. Feel the coals, embers, and any partially-burned wood with your hands. Everything should be cool to the touch.

Besides being illegal, the discharge of even a single firework or explosive device in the forest poses a major risk of igniting multiple fire starts all at once.

Most wildfires are preventable because most are human-caused. Please report any smoke to 911 immediately.

Remember, wildfire prevention not only takes just a few minutes of your time, it protects you from the financial consequences of causing a wildfire.

 

Washington needs to strengthen its school buildings to withstand the next earthquake, according to a new DNR report.

Geologists at the Washington Geological Survey, a division of DNR, inspected the seismic vulnerability of 222 public school buildings around the state over the past year. That research, directed by the state legislature, found many of those buildings would not be safe to occupy after a powerful earthquake.

“Our children need and deserve safe schools,” said Commissioner Franz. “It’s a question of when, not if, the next earthquake will hit. We need to be vigilant and take steps now to help keep our kids safe. Taking proactive steps to prevent damage is always smarter and more cost-effective than paying to react and rebuild after disaster strikes.”

Read more about this project in The Seattle Times.

Photograph from the Seattle Times showing damage to Puyallup High School during the 1949 Olympia earthquake

The report is available online at https://bit.ly/2NtN5bD

More information about DNR’s work to schools more resilient to earthquakes is available at here.

At the direction of the state legislature, DNR worked with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and structural engineering firm Reid Middleton, Inc. to compile this survey – the first statewide look at the seismic stability of the state’s schools.

Many Washington schools were built before the statewide building code was adopted in 1975 and are vulnerable to earthquakes. Washington has some 200 schools within one mile of a known fault, and some 70 percent of the state’s schools are located in areas of high seismic risk. Schools located in areas of higher earthquake hazards have the highest estimate of post-quake damages.

Detailed Plans Produced for 15 Schools

DNR geologists test the seismicity of soils outside a Tacoma school.

DNR geologists studied the ground on which schools were constructed and worked with Reid Middleton engineers to inspect the structural and nonstructural seismic stability of the schools. They then produced retrofit plans for 15 school buildings to provide districts with estimated costs for retrofitting the buildings to withstand earthquake.

These plans revealed the cost of seismically upgrading these 15 schools averaged a little over $1.5 million per building, though that ranged from a low of $63,000 to a high of just over $5 million. That cost, however, is much lower than the costs of repairing damages after an earthquake.

“Structural Engineers and the entire design community have long been advocating for improved seismic safety and disaster resilience for our communities.  This first ever statewide public school seismic safety assessments project and the data that we have collected will help inform our elected officials about the needs for enhanced public school seismic safety policies, programs, and funding.  We are excited to now have more statewide public school seismic safety building and site data and information to support our collective public school seismic safety advocacy work.” – David Swanson,

Further Research and Funding Needed

This work was done with a $1.2 million appropriation from the state Legislature. DNR received an additional $2.2 million for the 2019–2021 biennium to continue these assessments. DNR intends to continue to request further funding to expand these assessments to the rest of Washington’s 4,000+ permanent public school buildings.

Geology in the Public Interest

Home to the Washington Geological Survey, DNR monitors, assesses, and informs the public, planners, and municipal officials about the known risks associated with Washington’s earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, and volcanoes to reduce the human and financial costs of natural disasters.

 

The Fourth of July is here and we are ready to celebrate! Our public lands are a great place to enjoy some summer fun like hiking, camping, and fishing during the holiday weekend. Before you head out, there are a few things we want you to know.

 

• Don’t discharge fireworks, incendiary ammunition, or exploding targets. These activities are illegal on public lands, and you WILL be responsible for the cost of fighting the fire.
• Be aware of burn restrictions. Only build campfires when and where authorized.
• Never leave a campfire unattended, and be sure it is completely out before leaving the area.
• Don’t park vehicles in dry, grassy areas as the heat from exhaust systems can ignite the dry grass.
• Be sure recreation vehicles have operating spark arrestors or a catalytic converter.
• Rethink any open flames if winds start to pick up – wind creates conditions that make fire difficult to put out.
• Dispose of your cigarettes responsibly. Partially lit cigarettes can spark fires.

Most wildfires in Washington state are human-caused, therefore taking these simple steps can help prevent wildfires. Whether it’s fireworks, cigarettes, or anything that sparks a fire, it’s absolutely essential that we all do our part to prevent unfortunate fire related incidents and preserve our public lands. For more fire safety tips, visit dnr.wa.gov/WildfirePrevention.

Instead of taking a chance by shooting off fireworks, you may want to leave it to the professionals by visiting a local fireworks show.

Report fire

If you see smoke or fire, call 911. Even if you’re unsure, a false alarm is better than a large wildfire.

As the manager of 1,200 miles of trail on public lands, part of our work at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources includes providing people with recreation opportunities in our forests.

If we don’t reach every community, then we are not succeeding in our mission.

We are dedicated to making recreation opportunities more inclusive. Social media accounts like Unlikely Hikers, Melanin Base Camp, Patie Gonia, Latino Outdoors — to name just a few — post often how they are making the outdoors truly a space for all, and our staff is continually inspired by their work.

We’re proud to celebrate Pride month this June, and we want to talk about the steps we’re taking to better support our LGBTQ community members.

Connecting All Communities to the Outdoors

Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, who leads DNR, believes that creating inclusive spaces starts with access and accountability.

“We are blessed with some of the most beautiful mountains, waterways, and forests in the country,” Franz said. “While it’s my duty to protect 6 million acres of Washington’s public lands, it’s also my job to ensure people — no matter where they live and no matter their background — can enjoy these lands.”

One way we’re making it easier to connect people to the outdoors is through the Trailhead Direct program.

Together, with our partners at King County Metro Transit and King County Parks, we’re promoting this program because it gives people who might not own a car or who want to reduce their impact on our trailheads the opportunity to take a bus from the Seattle area to DNR-managed trails in North Bend.

But that’s just the beginning.

“Not only do we need to be thinking about how to physically connect people to the outdoors, but how do we facilitate a culture that makes everyone comfortable while exploring and playing in nature?” Commissioner Franz said. “I’m committed to ensuring all recreationists, no matter who they love or how they identify, feel welcome and have a safe experience on our trails and at our campgrounds.”

DNR doesn’t only manage recreation sites. Our geologists map landslide risks and monitor volcanic hazards. Our state-managed lands generate millions of dollars for public services like school construction. And we manage the state’s wildfire firefighting force.

Commissioner Franz and DNR are invested in the future of stewardship and the next generation of scientists and foresters to create a stronger and better Washington for our communities, environment, and economy.

Creating Gender Inclusive Bathrooms

Washington State Human Resources has already installed gender-affirming restroom signs outside multi-stall restrooms in their building. Gender-affirming signs are those that recognize that a person’s gender expression and gender identity may align and may fall outside the binary gender options, meaning beyond male or female.

DNR’s human resources team is in early discussions about how we can follow this example and install gender-inclusive bathrooms signs in the Natural Resources Building in Olympia and our region offices throughout the state.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, a person’s gender expression is “the external appearance of one’s gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, haircut or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.”

Defined by the HRC, gender identity is “one’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither — how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One’s gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.”

Here are the new signs outside the restrooms.

Image: Washington State Human Resources

DNR bathroom facilities at our trailheads are primarily gender-neutral. If a sign at our trailhead is specific to a gender, you are welcome to use the bathroom that best aligns with your gender identity.

Natural Resources Building Aiming to Become a Safe Place

In the summer of 2016, Governor Inslee signed Directive 16-11 reaffirming the State of Washington as a safe place for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning LGBTQ+ community and directing agencies to become the front door to persons seeking refuge. The Natural Resources Building in Olympia, where hundreds of DNR employees work, is working to become an official Safe Place.

“As public servants and employees of DNR, we instinctively help when someone is in trouble,” said Marika Barto, DNR Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chief and Ethics Advisor.

“The Safe Place program recognizes that the LGBTQ+ population in our community are subject to a disproportionate amount of hate/bias crimes. We will be equipped with the tools to create a safe and welcoming place and provide a safe harbor for any person who is feeling unsafe and seeking police support.”

Safe Places in Washington are marked by this logo sticker like this:

Image: Seattle Police Department

The logo is meant to convey inclusion and intersectionality with any and all individuals, regardless of their race, political beliefs, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation and/or identification. While DNR is still in the early process of discussing this program, the Seattle Police Department’s Safe Place program is already in place. You can read more about it here. You can read about Olympia’s safe place here.

We’re open to your thoughts

At DNR, we know there’s more work to be done in providing authentic inclusive spaces. We’re open to all feedback and discussions. You can email us here.