Over the last couple of days fire crews throughout Clark County have responded to over 100 brush fires. Unseasonably high easterly winds coupled with low humidity and high temperatures have created a perfect fire storm for the western side of the cascades. We may see an increased smoke in our area due to the The Big Hollow fire, which is near Mt. Adams, but Washougal is currently under no threat due to wildfires. You can do your part to help keep it that way.
Here are some fire prevention measures we are asking everyone to follow:
- For the time being, no fires of any kind, even from the fireplace inside your home.
- If your yard is dry refrain from mowing. A simple spark could ignite a fire.
- If you smoke outside, make sure cigarettes are extinguished and disposed of properly.
- No fireworks, smoke bombs and sparklers of any kind.
- If you have a project outside where you weld or grind metal, wait if possible, if not have a garden hose nearby. Once the project is complete observe the area for a half an hour to make sure nothing caught fire.
- Keep your off-road vehicles on the road and away from any trails or pastures.
- If your vehicle is not properly maintained and is dragging or could drag a chunk of metal, consider parking it until the fall rain comes.
- Shooting guns is not allowed at any time within the city limits, if you live outside the city limits refrain from the shooting your firearm.
This is not a complete list, just some common safety practices that get overlooked. We are asking for your help to minimize the fire risk. Be safe and if a fire grows large enough to warrant an evacuation please heed the warning.
There are many ways you can help yourself, your family, and your community be better prepared and safe during these high fire danger conditions:
- Be alert--Pay attention to local news. Make sure you know where to get accurate, up-to-date information.
- Be prepared--Visit www.ready.gov/wildfires to learn more about how you can be prepared and stay safe before, during, and after a wildfire.
- Follow all safety warnings--Current conditions can change rapidly, so heed all safety warnings from local officials.
- Postpone your visit--Many areas are not safe to visit. Some communities are evacuating, firefighters are conducting suppression efforts, and the extreme wildfire behavior activity is contributing to dynamic and rapidly changing situations in many areas across the region. Please wait until conditions improve before visiting.
- Smoke--Check Washington Smoke Blog for latest information about smoke levels, alerts, and how to mitigate smoke impacts. Another valuable resource is EPA’s website www.airnow.gov which allows you to search by zip code.
- Stay hydrated and listen to your body.
Be safe and take care of yourselves, Washougal.
