Wildfires could become more common in western Washington; How will forests handle it?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Although eastern Washington tends to see more wildfires than the west side, that's something that could be changing. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) found 40% of the state's wildfires in two of the past three years were on the west side of the Cascade Mountains.

Forests that have been impacted by wildfires begin to regenerate quickly, leaving the forests littered with dead limbs, and new growth, which are vulnerable to catching fire again.

Western Washington fires are what scientists call "stand replacement fires," which means large swaths of trees are killed, although the trunks can stand for years before rotting and toppling over

Forestry students from the University of Washington are helping gather data from multiple plots of burned land left over from the Norse Peak fire of September 2017 and comparing them to unburned areas of old-growth forest.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/wildfires-could-become-more-common-in-western-washington-how-will-forests-handle-it/ar-AALsTzY?ocid=hplocalnews

Smoke in the air from forest fires is getting to be a yearly occurance.

[Wounded Bear]

1. That's a whole lotta fuel there...

normally it is kept pretty moist by the frequent rain on the west side, but if heat like this becomes the norm, Katie bar the door.