Wildfire Season is Here

Today, a big wildfire flared up east of Spokane in the vicinity of the Millwood and Spokane Valley suburbs. A heatwave and windy weather combined with a drier-than-usual winter have left us with hazardous conditions, but mid-June is remarkably early.

I'm not anywhere near the danger zone, but my sister reported heavy smoke and emergency vehicle traffic on her drive home from work, and we discussed alternate plans in case she needs to evacuate. Avista has de-energized the electrical grid in the region of the fire. She may be affected if that expands even without direct fire risk.

Now is a good time for us all to re-evaluate our emergency preparedness, so here are some useful links.

Disaster Preparedness: I wrote about what you might stash in a "Go Bag," what to gather if you have some extra time to prepare, and advice on planning an evacuation with alternate routes before traffic jams and road closures occur. This was back in September of 2020, but remains applicable.

Survival Kits 101: a draft for a preparedness program I hosted at the library in 2021. It lists categories you want to cover based on your situation rather than a specific checklist of items.

Starting an Emergency Kit: another 2021 post showing how to start gathering an emergency kit based on what you might have on hand already. This doesn't need an online shopping spree or an expensive trip to Cabela's, just some creativity and evaluation of what you already have to get started today.

United States Geological Survey Wildfire Activity Map: North American wildfire and response data, with up-to-date information especially on US incidents.

Canadian Wildland Fire Information System Interactive Map: Specific to our northern neighbors, and useful for those of us near the border in the US, too.

Consider this post your early warning, and a reminder to be aware, be prepared, and be safe. As the old proverb says, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

UPDATE: my sister is fine so far, but there's another fire in the Idaho panhandle near Kellogg, and I know some folks who have been evacuated there. I don't know yet whether it was precautionary, or their home is gone. KHQ news link for updates.