April 30: Fire behavior workshop in the Blue Mountains

Fire behavior, history, tools to evaluate conditions, firefighter roles and state regulations and policies will be discussed in a free workshop for woodland owners and others 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, April 30, at 111 Pattit Rd., Dayton.

Go to http://ext100.wsu.edu/spokane/forestry/classes-events/ to sign up and get details about the workshop, which is put on by Washington State University Extension in cooperation with Oregon State University Extension.

Time will be spent indoors and in the field. Bring lunch and water. Be prepared for inclement weather and wear footwear for walking over uneven terrain. Bring a high clearance vehicle if possible.

Fire is a natural disturbance in the Blue Mountains of Washington and Oregon. After suppressing fire for most of the past 100 years, humans have altered species composition, stocking and fuel loads in forests.

Drought conditions have exacerbated the risk of fire ignition, burn intensity and severity, raising concerns about potential catastrophic loss from fire.

“With the low snowpack and the mild winter we had in the Pacific Northwest, this could be the beginning of a long fire season,” said Steve McConnell, WSU Extension regional forestry extension specialist. “This class can help you be prepared.”