Washington Wildfires Keep Mail Delays, Smoke in Forecast

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Or sign-in if you have an account.A home destroyed by the Old Trails wildfire in Spokane, Washington, on Aug. 5. Photographer: Erick Doxey/Bloomberg Photo by Erick Doxey /Bloomberg(Bloomberg) — Fire risks are set to intensify across Washington and Oregon just as firefighters gain ground on blazes that have burned neighborhoods around Spokane, forcing thousands to flee and disrupting mail service across parts of the Pacific Northwest.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountA fire weather watch, a step below a red flag warning, has been issued across large parts of central and eastern Washington, including Spokane, where a dry weather front is expected to bring wind gusts up to 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour, according to the National Weather Service.“Combined with low afternoon relative humidity values, poor to fair humidity recoveries at night, hot temperatures and dry fuels, this will bring the potential for critical fire weather conditions,” the agency said.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againWashington Governor Bob Ferguson, who frequently challenged President Donald Trump in court as the state’s attorney general during his first term, invited the president to visit Spokane and see the wildfire devastation firsthand in a post on X.Firefighters have built containment lines around three fires that have burned more than 10,000 acres near Spokane, allowing some residents to return home, Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove said Wednesday in a Facebook post. Even so, 16 large fires remain active statewide, according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources.Meanwhile, The US Postal Service warned that wildfires in Washington and Oregon could delay mail and package deliveries.Little relief is expected from the weather. Air quality alerts remain in effect across much of the Pacific Northwest and neighboring Idaho as wildfire smoke blankets the region. Smoke has pushed air quality into dangerous and very dangerous categories in some areas, including parts of southern Canada.There is no rain in the forecast across the region and with an El Niño strengthening in the Pacific, the region may see dry weather in the long term, said David Roth, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. Through Aug. 4, more than 93% of Washington’s lands were abnormally dry and almost 64% were in drought, according to the US Drought Monitor. Oregon was almost 91% in drought. El Niños tend to suppress the jet stream across the US, which means most storms pass south of Washington and Oregon, Roth said. Currently the US Climate Prediction Center calls for a slight chance of above normal rainfall in eastern Washington and Oregon from Aug. 13 to 19 and near average elsewhere.—With assistance from Anna Edgerton.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.