Washington wildfires

Seven candidates are running to become Washington's next Commissioner of Public Lands. People who are familiar with the office say it's not shocking – even if some voters aren't totally sure what the commissioner's job is.

Wildfires in British Columbia and eastern Washington profoundly impacted local communities this summer. They also notably disrupted the regional music events scene, a major boon to local economies.

High-tech fire lookouts are now helping spot wildfires in Washington. This fire season, the state has cameras geared up with artificial intelligence. And so far, we’re told it’s working.

Haze is in the forecast around the Puget Sound area lately. It's not affecting air quality much, but it is changing the colors of sunrises and sunsets. We get an explanation.

Authorities say a second person has died in wildfires in eastern Washington state that sparked Friday burning hundreds of structures and closing a section of a major interstate. Gov. Jay Inslee declared a statewide emergency on Sunday because of those fires and others.

The fire burned several hundred acres near the Tri-Cities, threatened shrub steppe habitat and homes.

A fire in south-central Washington has threatened renewable energy projects, livestock and wildlife, and a major landfill for the state.

Artificial intelligence is helping scientists better understand wildfire emissions in the Northwest.

The Biden administration is directing $930 million toward reducing wildfire dangers in 10 western states by clearing trees and underbrush from national forests. The work is projected to cost up to $50 billion. Last year’s climate and infrastructure bills combined included about $5 billion for the task.

As wildfires grow, so do the costs for fighting those fires. But many states are failing to adequately budget for wildfire costs, according to a new report from The Pew Charitable Trusts.