Washington's Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz is set to announce the reopening of Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Lands in eastern Washington on Wednesday, as the wildfire season improves. The DNR lands will reopen on Thursday, following the announcement on Wednesday. Franz and recreation leaders will also address the state of the 2021 fire season as improved weather signals the conclusion of fire season. "This fire season presented unprecedented challenges with historic heat and drought conditions, as well as an increased rate of COVID spread due to the Delta Variant" said Franz in a press release on Monday. "Firefighters have battled some 1,750 fires that have burned north of 650,000 acres. Since the closure eight weeks ago, conditions have improved dramatically thanks to the tireless efforts of firefighters, an expanded air fleet, and a tactical focus on initial attack, which has allowed DNR to respond to fires quickly and keep them from spreading."