Fires in washington state

fires burining now

The last few days have seen a hazy sunshine; the smoke from the fires on the eastern part of the state.

On the map above you can see the smoke being blown from the east to the west, which is contrary to usual wind patterns.    The smoke that I'm seeing on my farm is from the fire just above the "W" in Washington.  

From what I understand the total number of acres burned this year is basically average -- which is hard to tell from the coverage of the fires.  I guess fires make a good news story.

The conditions around here are pretty dry; but we haven't had a good lightning storm for a while, and that's what usually causes the fires that get big.  Smaller fires, like homes or accidental, are usually a few acres.  It takes a lightning strike in a remote area usually to get a fire that goes for hundreds or thousands of acres.

Part of the reason that this years fire season is "average' is that we have a large burn, or several, every year.  last year it was the Carlton Complex fire, which apparently is the largest wildfire in the history of washington state.

Fire safety for me means that we keep vegetation and most fuel for fires away from the buildings.  It's a pretty simple rule, but its easy to forget in the rainy area I live in; I see a lot of houses surrounded by fuel, and this time of year, with the drought conditions we have, it's ready to go.

Things on the farm are good; the crops are growing and the pigs are squealing and the cows are... well, they're kinda quiet -- enjoying the alfalfa, which is growing great!