Northshore Council PTSA 6.10
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Know the Facts, Be Empowered !

North West Region Risks


Wild Fires

Wildland fires in the United States are becoming commonplace. There have been significant fires all throughout the West and British Columbia in the last month with individual homes and even neighborhoods being lost to fire. In California, the wildland fire season is now year-round.
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Typically, the wildland fire season here in Washington begins in June and heats up in the months of July, August and September. While it is true that the majority of wildland fires occur east of the Cascades, the West Side is vulnerable.
If you asked people to list the natural hazards and risks that we here in Western Washington should pay attention to, that list would likely include earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, river and urban flooding, mud slides and the like. It is unlikely that many people other than firefighters and emergency managers would even mention the danger of a forest fire in Western Washington.

What most people don’t realize is that the wildland fire risk is not confined to Eastern Washington. Ask any professional firefighter and they will tell you that each year we here in Western Washington during the months of July through September and into October are sitting on a ticking time bomb that will only be defused when our normally wet autumn weather returns. Until then, we will have an extremely high risk of a wildland fire extending into urban areas in all parts of Western Washington.


The Washington State Department of Health is available to support you during this fire season. Here is an outline of resources.
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Public information resources 
  • DOH webpages: Comprehensive webpages with frequently asked questions and a toolkit. You should be able to find the answer to most questions and links to other resources.
    • doh.wa.gov/SmokeFromFires
    • Smoke from Fires Toolkit
  • Information on air quality: We are directing the public to the smoke blog and regional clean air agencies for local and regional updates.
    • Smoke Blog
    • Regional Clean Air Agencies
    • EPA's Smoke Sense" (Mobile App)
    • EPA's "AirNow" (Mobile App)
  • Air quality graphic: Updated graphic provides recommendations for the different color-coded air quality categories.
  • Smoke from fires can be dangerous: Flyers for each of the sensitive groups and for the general public.
    • For everyone
    • For babies and children
    • For pregnant people
    • For people over 65
    • For people with lung and heart diseases
  • Know your symptoms: Flyer to help the public identify the symptoms of wildfire smoke. 
  • Smoke and face masks: Our website has updated information on mask recommendations as well as fact sheets from L&I for employees.
    • Wildfire Smoke and Face Masks Fact Sheet (PDF)
    • Wildfire Smoke and Dust Masks at Work (PDF)
  • Translations: We translated most of these resources into the top 10 languages.
  • Social media:  Facebook and  Twitter. Sign up for the DOH blog, Public Health Connection. Sign up for news releases and updates.
 
For schools and school districts:
  • Here is the school activity guide that provides recommendations for recess, P.E., and athletic events and practices during smoky conditions.
  • Recommendations for Schools and Buildings with Mechanical Ventilation: Improving Ventilation and Indoor Air Quality during Wildfire Smoke Events (PDF)
 
Roles and responsibilities.
A challenging aspect of wildfire smoke response can be the number of agencies and jurisdictions involved. Here are the two appendices for the ESF 8: Public Health, Medical and Mortuary Services:
  • Appendix 5: Air Quality Response  
  • Attach 1: Wildfire Response—Severe Smoke Episodes
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Fire Adapted Communities - Learning Network

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Information on Wildfires
Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Washington Governor Wildfire Resources
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INFORMATION ON CURRENT DNR WILDFIRES
  • Follow @waDNR_fire on Twitter
  • Cougar Creek Fire: link to inciweb page, follow on facebook at @cougarcreekfire, 509-664-9210, see location
DNR INFORMATION SOURCES
  • Check the DNR Burn Risk Map for current fire danger in your county.
  • Use our recreation map and click through to site-specific information on campgrounds or recreation sites closed due to wildfires.
  • The cause of a fire being investigated by DNR may be available quickly, or may take several months, depending on complexity. 
  • Please check burn restrictions before lighting any fire.
PARTNER INFORMATION SOURCES
  • DNR is using Washington National Gaurd assistance. Follow them on Twitter at @WANationalGuard, or facebook at @washingtongauard.
  • ​Washington Military Department, Emergency Management Division
  • National Interagency Fire Center, Boise, Idaho
  • Washington State Department of Transportation, on Twitter
  • Washington State Department of Ecology Smoke Information​
​LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONTACTS

For local details, such as evacuation information, road closures, or donation opportunities, consult with local sheriff and county emergency management services.
  • Adams County: website, facebook
  • Asotin County: website, facebook 
  • Benton County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Chelan County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Clallam County: website, facebook
  • Clark County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Columbia County: website, facebook
  • Cowlitz County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Douglas County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Ferry County: website, facebook
  • Franklin County: website, facebook
  • Garfield County: website, facebook
  • Grant County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Grays Harbor County: website, facebook
  • Island County: website, facebook
  • Jefferson County: website, facebook
  • King County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Kitsap County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Kittitas County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Klickitat County: website, facebook
  • Lewis County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Lincoln County: website, facebook
  • Mason County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Okanogan County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Pacific County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Pend Oreille County: website, fire distirct facebook
  • Pierce County: website, twitter, facebook
  • San Juan County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Skagit County: website, twitter, facebook 
  • Skamania County: website, facebook
  • Snohomish County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Spokane County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Stevens County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Thurston County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Wahkiakum County: website, facebook
  • Walla Walla County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Whatcom County: website, twitter, facebook
  • Whitman County: website, facebook
  • Yakima County: website, twitter, facebook​

NATIONAL FOREST AND PARK INFORMATION  
  • Colville National Forest
  • Gifford Pinchot National Forest
  • Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests
  • Mount Rainier National Park
  • North Cascades National Park
  • Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests Closures and Restrictions
  • Olympic National Forest 
  • Olympic National Park

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  • Home
  • Council Blog
  • About Us
    • Officers & Contacts
    • Standing Rules & Policies
    • Mission Statement
    • Goals & Objectives
    • Northshore PTAs/PTSAs
    • Contact Us
    • Guest Seat Policy
  • Calendar
    • Council Meetings
    • Training Opportunities
    • Parent Education Opportunities
  • Advocacy
  • Membership
  • Council Programs
    • Council Awards >
      • Award Recipients
    • Educational Speakers and Community Events Grants >
      • Grant Recipients
    • Emergency Preparedness >
      • EP FAMILY
      • EP Chair Info
    • Presidents & Principals Luncheon
    • Reflections >
      • 2022-2023 Reflections Art Showcase
      • 2021-2022 Reflections Art Showcase
    • Special Education
    • Spring Recognition Event
    • Volunteering >
      • Thank You
  • Community Resources
    • Mental Health Awareness
    • Parent Education
  • Council eNews
  • Forms, Documents, & Procedures
  • Local PTA Awards
  • Northshore School District
  • Region, State, & National PTA Info
    • Region 6
    • WSPTA
    • National PTA