OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources is expecting what they describe as an east wind event tomorrow and through the weekend that, paired with already-critical fire weather conditions, could result in severe wildfire activity across the state – including west of the Cascades and even here on the Olympic Peninsula.

Starting sometime tomorrow, breezy winds 15-20 mph will develop from the Okanagan Valley southward into the Columbia Basin, and westward through the Columbia River Gorge and into the Puget Lowlands.

Here in Port Angeles, the temperature is expected to top out at 80 degrees on Saturday. But the DNR says highs in the upper 80s and low 90s are likely for Friday and Saturday along the west slopes of the Cascades, the Columbia River Gorge, parts of the Olympics, and in the Puget Lowlands from King County southward.

Usually, marine influence prevents most west-side fires from being able to grow rapidly by keeping fuels like grass and moss damp enough to blunt fire spread. The concern is that spiking temperatures and gusting easterly winds dry out those fuels, allowing for the sort of spread normally seen east of the Cascades.

More information on prevention resources and best practices can be found here.