SPOKANE, Wash. – It has been an incredibly busy week for Spokane County Fire District #3. The district has been fighting the Grove Road Fire, the first major wildfire this season, since Tuesday. Before the Grove Fire started, May was also a significant month for county firefighters.
According to SCFD #3, the district received 274 calls for service in May, a 19 call increase from the 255 service requests recorded in May 2023.
About 85% of Washington’s wildfires are caused by people according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
County residents are asked to call the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency’s Burn Restriction Hotline at (509) 477-4710 before starting a recreational fire this summer.
Common sense precautions like not leaving fires unattended and being responsible with open flames can prevent wildfires.
According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, climate change is increasing wildfire dangers in the western United States. Spokane County is under a federal disaster declaration to coordinate recovery efforts from wildfires during the summer of 2023 after the Gray and Oregon Road Fires destroyed over 350 homes.
