Statewide, the snowpack currently stands at 68% of average, with some areas in the Olympic Mountains, Lower Yakima and north Puget Sound with significantly lower levels. Stream flows in many basins are already below 75% of normal, according to Ecology. Chelan River stream flows are expected to be 52% of normal, and the Stehekin, Methow and Okanagan rivers are forecasted to have 59% of normal stream flows.
Ugh.
I mean, I think most of us saw this coming after the winter we had. But still, a huge bummer.
The worst part is, next comes the fires.
True, there is more that goes into it. The biggest one has to be human stupidity with fireworks/cigarettes/campfires/etc. But drought is a big driver on its ownLet’s not equate drought and wildfire risk, though. They are related, but there’s so much more that goes into wildfire risk beyond a statewide drought status.
BUT ITS NOT CAMPING WITHOUT A CAMPFIRE.campfires
The biggest driver of scary wildfire conditions on the west side of the Cascades is actually none of the above, but wind.True, there is more that goes into it. The biggest one has to be human stupidity with fireworks/cigarettes/campfires/etc. But drought is a big driver on its own
If there's less soil moisture plants/trees dry up and often die more frequently. That becomes fuel for fire. And with more of that fuel, fires burn and move much faster. If water sources are lower from fire, that makes finding water to fight a fire more difficult and time consuming. Drought conditions can cause an increase in lightning, which can start wildfires. Though I'm not sure if that applies in our area or not. But it's a thing elsewhere, or so I've read.