Record Dry Season Has Experts Telling You to Take Action Immediately

"This has been a very dry period. You go from May 20th to now and this is the driest period in the history of Seattle." UW Atmospheric Sciences Professor Cliff Mass says no one predicted it would be this bad, so soon and for so long.

"Even in a normal year it's extraordinarily dry," he says. "In fact, Seattle and the Northwest are drier than almost anywhere in the United States in this mid-July to August period. In July we have less rain than Phoenix does."


"I just put a lighter to this and started to burn!" says Mountain View Fire and Rescue Chief Greg Smith. He knows it's not just about brush fires along highways anymore, it's the stuff right in your back yard that could get you.

"We're talking about grasses, shrubs, and trees."

All of it is dry as tinder right now, so Chief Smith says clear it back at least 15-20 feet--and that's not all.

"There are all kinds of fuel here. What we call a ladder fuel is when a fire starts in the grass, climbs up a shrub then, onto a tree," he warns. "That fire can also travel up shrubs near your house then under the lofts and just keep burning. Plus, you really have to clear any kind of debris off your roof and in gutters. Those pine cones and needles are highly flammable."

Chief Smith also says when the weather is this dry and the ground is this dry most people know to clear stuff around their house, but it's what's away from your house you might not be thinking about. He says overgrown brush at the bottom of a hill can catch fire and move up with lightening speed.

"It's a lot more intense and much faster," he says.

He also says keep firewood at least 30 feet away from your house, trim tree branches back, and in case something happens, make sure fire crews can actually get there.

"You want to make sure fire engine can get into driveway," he reminds us.

"We are one of the driest places in the whole country right now," adds Professor Mass.

A fact and a warning this fire season is just getting warmed up.

"What we're really worried about is the future," says Chief Smith. "What's going to happen in August and September because we're so dry already?"

Protecting Property in Areas Prone to Wildfires

* Clear and maintain a fire break around your home by clearing the fuel that a fire needs. Clear weeds, dry brush and trees within a 50-100 foot buffer zone. In case of fire, this will allow the heat to dissipate before it reaches the building as well as eliminating fuel for the fire. This space can also provide a safe area for firefighters and their equipment, should they be needed.

* Mow grasses to a height of less than 6 inches within 50 feet of the home.

* Consider maintaining a large non-potable water storage tank that could be used in an emergency, but check local regulations to make sure this is legal in your area.

* Dead and dry grasses should be cleaned up, dead branches trimmed off trees and the landscaping plants should receive adequate water.

* Piles of firewood and other debris should be moved away from the house.