Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Awareness topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Skagit County proclaims May as Wildfire Awareness Month; agencies urge preparedness
Summary
Skagit County commissioners proclaimed May 2025 as Wildfire Awareness Month and heard from conservation, emergency management and fire officials about local risks, preparedness programs and how wildfire can increase flood risk after burn scars.
The Skagit County Board of Commissioners on April 29 voted 3‑0 to proclaim May 2025 as Wildfire Awareness Month and received comments from local wildfire resilience and emergency management officials urging residents to prepare and sign up for alerts.
Robert Walters, the community wildfire resilience specialist with the Skagit Conservation District, thanked commissioners for the proclamation and described outreach and assessment work the district provides to residents. Walters said the district’s efforts prompt homeowners to seek assessments and prepare defensible space.
Julie De Losada, chief of emergency management for Skagit County, emphasized that local fire districts — many staffed by volunteers — play a central role in early response and urged residents to sign up for county alerts and warnings. She warned that wildfire burn scars also increase flood risk because post‑fire slopes shed water and debris, which can worsen downstream flooding.
Other speakers included David Scrindy, fire chief for Fire District 14, and Kirk Cherbourg, community resilience coordinator for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, who described DNR staging of helicopters and resources and urged investments in prevention and fuel reduction. Commissioners noted cross‑jurisdictional impacts — including smoke from British Columbia and past regional fires — and encouraged residents to use Firewise guidance and other local resources.
On the record, the board moved and seconded to adopt the proclamation; the vote was recorded as "Aye" and the chair announced the motion carried 3‑0.
Officials urged residents to clear fuel near structures, maintain gutters and roofs, and use county alert systems to receive evacuation notices and preparedness guidance.
