VIDEO: Washington officials provided an assessment update on the 2025 wildfire season. Dave Upthegrove, the first-year commissioner of public lands, described it as a typical fire season with about 1,800 fires. He praised the Department of Natural Resources and firefighters for their efforts, saying, “keeping 94 fires on DNR land under 10 acres.” Upthegrove also expressed concerns over budget cuts. “And if that funding isn’t restored, we’re going to see more fires, bigger fires and more cost to taxpayers, more risk to property, to life, more damage to our environment,” he said. The community remains focused on solutions to manage and prevent future wildfires.
