Ready, Set, Go: What to know about evacuating Western Washington wildfires
"Ready. Set. Go!" That's the new key to understanding when and how to evacuate a wildfire threat in Western Washington.
"The risk of wildfires has spread to the west side of the Cascades, an area that historically has not seen widespread wildfires," a blog post from West Pierce Fire and Rescue states, introducing the new evacuation system. "Once a rare occurrence, wildfires have now become an annual threat, requiring public outreach and preparation."
RELATED: West Pierce Fire has already put out as many brush fires as it did in all of 2022
Fire officials in King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Thurston counties are pushing an awareness campaign about changes to the way they issue evacuation notices. The new system aims to be more clearly understood.
Instead of using the traditional Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 notifications (with Level 3 being the most urgent), people will now hear the words, "Ready, Set, Go."
Ready: The lowest level. A fire is in your area, so be aware and be prepared.
Set: Be prepared to evacuate with important papers, medicines, and other needed items in your car. Have an emergency kit handy. People who need more time to evacuate, such as those with disabilities, families with small children, animals, or with certain medical conditions, should leave.
Go: Just like the word says — get out now. Go. You're in immediate danger.
While wildfires have historically been more common in Eastern Washington, the threat has spread to the western side of the state in recent years. So far, over the summer of 2023, the National Weather Service has issued a handful of red flag warnings for the western slopes of the Cascade Mountains, indicating that fire threats are heightened.
Local fire agencies have been prompted to prepare as a result. West Pierce Fire and Rescue, for example, obtained a $400,000 federal grant to pay for new training around "wildland/urban interfaces." These are areas common in Western Washington, where forested land is directly next to residential neighborhoods. Areas like this pose great risks when wildfires or brush fires emerge. Fighting them requires different methods and equipment.
