Wildfire

  June 2026

Fire-Prone Areas Are Growing Faster Than Anywhere Else in the Northwest

Whatcom Watch

by Martina Pansze Northwest wildfires are larger and more destructive than ever before, thanks to increasingly arid summers, earlier snowmelt, and a century of fire suppression. Yet the region’s leaders continue to increase risk to residents’ lives and properties by … Continue reading →

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  May 2024

The Day Bellingham ‘Lost Its Innocence’

Whatcom Watch

by Meghan Fenwick Longtime Bellingham residents remember it well: At 5:02 p.m. on June 10, 1999, the summer evening sky darkened. Across the city, residents stepped outside to witness the 30,000-foot-tall wall of smoke erupting from Whatcom Falls Park. On … Continue reading →

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  Oct/Nov 2020

As Wildfires Rage, Trump Slashes Fire Management Budgets

Whatcom Watch

by Jayson O’Neill As wildfires have raged across Western states in recent weeks amidst another record-breaking wildfire season that is destroying lives and communities, new research released by Western Values Project finds President Trump has repeatedly cut federal funding dedicated … Continue reading →

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  Oct/Nov 2020

Fire Danger Returning to Western Washington

Whatcom Watch

by Christopher Dunagan Editor’s Note: This series was originally published in the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound. Part 1 Climate change is expected to dry out the forests, increasing the number and size of wildfires that could threaten thousands of homes. … Continue reading →

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