VIDEO: The Department of Ecology has issued a statewide drought emergency for Washington, marking a concerning start to what experts predict could be a long, hot summer.
Last year, drought conditions didn't hit until July, but this year, the declaration came months earlier, prompting officials to take action. On the heels of this alarming announcement, Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz delivered her own warning. "We're going to see more increasing wildfires, and more wildfires on the west side of the state," she predicted.
Forecasters with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources say the combination of low snowpack and below-average precipitation is problematic.
"Less moisture in the landscape means when it's hot and dry for a long enough period and a fire starts, it becomes a tinderbox," Franz explained.