You don't normally consider wildfires a sign of spring in Washington state.
From 2010 to 2018, 12 wildfires scorched 14 acres in the first quarter of each year.
But this year, there have been 58 fires in the first three months of the year, including one in Yakima County. And for Josh Clark, a fire scientist/meteorologist with the state Department of Natural Resources, it’s not a good sign.
“It’s kind of grim,” Clark said. His office is predicting that this year’s wildland fire season could be as bad as — or worse than — last year, when more than 1,800 wildfires ravaged the state.
And while Yakima County is not in the bull's-eye of El Niño-fueled drought this summer, local firefighters are preparing for the worst while hoping for the best as they get ready for another year of wildfire.