SPOKANE COUNTY, WA – Wildfires in urban areas are becoming more common, with devastating events occurring across the country in recent years, from Texas to Maui, and right here in Spokane County.
Local experts warn that conditions are right for such fires to strike anywhere, including urban environments.
Darren Noe, a Spokane resident who lost his home to the 2023 Gray Fire, recounted his own harrowing experience.
“When you’re in a mad rush, you don’t know what to take…you’ve got 10 minutes to get out.” Noe is among the fortunate few whose home has been rebuilt one year after the fires. Many others are still waiting.
“Obviously we’ve seen quite a bit of destruction here,” said Justin De Ruyter of the Spokane Fire Department. “That’s still on a small scale compared to what’s happened in Los Angeles. But that event certainly shows that with the right conditions, it could happen here.”
In the past five years, extreme urban wildfires have ravaged communities, prompting a re-evaluation of fire prevention efforts.
Contributing factors include drier conditions and the increasing number of people moving into more rural areas, creating new risks in what’s called the wildland-urban interface—areas where developments meet wild lands.
DeRuyter explained that the risk is not necessarily from the original firewall, but the embers emitted from them, which can be carried for miles by powerful wind gusts.
The best way to reduce the risk of such fires, according to DeRuyter, is to remove fuel sources like dry pine needles, dead shrubs, and leaves from yards, roofs, and gutters. Homeowners should also have an emergency kit prepared, including a go-bag with important documents and clothing.
For those unsure of how to prepare, the Washington Department of Natural Resources offers property assessments to identify fire-prone areas.
As wildfires continue to scar communities year after year, experts urge people to take proactive measures to safeguard their homes and families.
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