FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2010
Fire danger rating increases to ‘moderate’ in parts of northeastern Washington
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that fire danger ratings will increase from ‘low’ to ‘moderate’ in Lincoln County, Spokane County, and Fire Districts 1 and 2 in Stevens County, effective midnight, Tuesday, May 18.
The leading causes for debris fires becoming a wildfire are failure to construct a fire break and failure to completely extinguish a burn pile. The public is reminded to please be sure they have a fire break around all debris piles they are burning and to be sure they extinguish their debris fire with water and a shovel.
Daily updates on burn restrictions are available at 1-800-323-BURN or on DNR’s website at www.dnr.wa.gov , then click on ‘fire information and prevention’ and go to ‘wildfire related maps.’ The ‘burn risk map’ link is in the bottom right-hand corner.
DNR’s wildfire mission
Administered by Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, DNR is responsible for preventing and fighting wildfires on 12.7 million acres of private, state and tribal-owned forestlands. DNR is the state’s largest on-call fire department, with over a thousand employees trained and available to be dispatched to fires as needed. During fire season, this includes over seven hundred DNR employees who have other permanent jobs with the agency and about 375 seasonal workers. Additionally, Department of Correction inmates participate in the DNR correctional camps program. DNR also participates in Washington’s coordinated interagency approach to firefighting.
Media Contact:
Janet Pearce, Outreach and Education, 360-902-1122, janet.pearce@dnr.wa.gov
Guy Gifford, DNR NE Region, 509-990-6218, guy.gifford@dnr.wa.gov
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