| 2023 Washington wildfires | |
|---|---|
 The Sourdough Fire on August 4 | |
| Date(s) | March 2023–December 2023 |
| Statistics | |
| Total fires | 1,515 |
| Total area | 165,365 acres (66,921 hectares) |
| Impacts | |
| Deaths | 2 |
| Season | |
← 2022
2024 → | |
The 2023 Washington wildfire season officially began in March 2023 in the US state of Washington.
Conditions going into the season were low-risk for fire, with higher than average precipitation over the prior winter and spring.[1] Some experts anticipated a later peak, possibly into November, for the Pacific Northwest due to El Niño effects.[2]
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources planned to ignite controlled burns on over 2,100 acres (8 km2) to prevent larger fires from developing during the season.[3]
The Northwest Coordination Center upgraded the region's preparedness level (referring to the availability of firefighting resources) from PL 1 to PL 2 on July 3, PL 3 on July 23, PL 4 on August 12, and PL5—the highest level—on August 19.[4]
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources dashboard reported that 1,515 fires burned at least 146,220 acres (59,170 hectares) in Washington through August, 2024.[5]
- ^ "National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook" (PDF). National Interagency Fire Center. May 1, 2023. Geographic Area Forecast – Northwest (p. 6).
Due to the predominantly cool and wet conditions, wildfire activity was limited ... Fuels remain too moist to support elevated risk of significant fires and are historically likely to remain so until June...Normal (i.e., very low) risk of significant fires is expected over the Northwest Geographic Area until July and August...
- ^ "Fire season begins in Washington State, experts predict a late wildfire season". Katu. May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Breda, Isabella (March 28, 2023). "WA to burn thousands of acres of forest ahead of fire season". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023.
- ^ Northwest Preparedness Levels (PDF) (Report). Northwest Coordination Center. 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
- ^ "DNR Wildfire Intel Dashboard". experience.arcgis.com. Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved August 22, 2023.