Several agencies lit a prescribed fire near Roslyn on Thursday, burning dozens of acres just a few miles from this summer’s massive Jolly Mountain Fire.
The controlled burn was part of Washington’s first ever prescribed fire training. At least 26 firefighters from 10 agencies assisted to learn more about prescribed burning and other wildfire fighting techniques.
Prescribed burns become a focus around the Northwest when wildfire season slows down each year. After building a line, fire crews incinerate dead brush and fuels to restore the health of the forest and create a natural barrier for fires in the future.
“Let’s say a fire did come through here,” Kara Karboski with Washington Prescribed Fire Council said. “Because you’ve reduced the overall fuel on the ground, you’ve reduced the intensity of the fire.