Risk of fire on the rise

Published 2:22 pm Tuesday, July 16, 2013

If you’re thinkin’ that it looks quite a bit drier out there, well, you’re not alone.

Local fire officials on Tuesday, July 16, turned the fire danger dial up a notch, moving it the needle from “low” to “moderate”, and anticipate going up another notch, to “High”, in several weeks time if the current weather pattern continues.

With the bump in the fire-danger risk, fire officials ask for increased caution with recreational fires and outdoor barbecues. Recreational fires must be no larger than two feet in diameter and centered within a clear area measuring six feet in diameter. Never leave a recreational fire unattended and make sure it’s fully extinguished before leaving the area.

For more info visit the San Juan County Fire Marshal’s website, www.sjcfiremarshal.org, or the state Department of Natural Resources website, www.dnr.wa.gov.