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Calm wildfire season so far in Pacific Northwest but it isn't over

So far this year, more than 166,000 acres have been affected by wildfires in the Northwest. This time last year, it was more than 1.2 million acres.

PORTLAND, Ore. — One thing we haven’t been seeing much of this summer are wildfires burning out of control across the Pacific Northwest, like we’ve seen over the last couple of summers. 

Even though it has been quiet, that can easily change, especially if we start to see a stretch of hot weather. 

John Saltenberger is the fire weather program manager with the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. He said it’s been calm the last couple of months thanks in part to our weather pattern: much cooler days but warmer nights.

“The overall coolness, the more humidity in the air, our fire values haven't reached the values that we have seen over the past four or five summers,” said Saltenberger. 

So far this year, more than 166,000 acres have been affected by wildfires in the Northwest. This time last year, it was more than 1.2 million acres.

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