Nearly 1 million acres burned as Washington wildfire season continues

Cooler temperatures and beneficial rain have helped firefighters battling about a dozen large wildfires across the state, but fire officials say it still is not enough to put the flames out. Ryan Rodruck with the state Department of Natural Resources said this has been a difficult wildland firefighting season. “We’ve seen over 900,000 acres burned statewide, and we’ll continue to have fires on the landscape,” Rodruck said. While the colors of autumn are starting to pop up in western Washington, dry vegetation is still an issue. Pierce County Fire Marshal Ken Rice said recent precipitation helps, but new and lingering fuels remain on the ground. RELATED | Wildfires affect parts of Mount Rainier as crews prioritize safety and historic sites “It’s getting cooler," Rice said. "We’re getting precipitation.

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