The 2024 Washington wildfire season were a series of wildfires that had been burning throughout the U.S. state of Washington.
Background
While the typical "fire season" in Washington varies every year based on weather conditions, most wildfires occur in between July and October. However, hotter, drier conditions can allow wildfires to start outside of these boundaries. Wildfires tend to start at these times of the year after moisture from winter and spring precipitation dries up. Vegetation and overall conditions are the hottest and driest in these periods. The increase of vegetation can make the fires spread easier.
Events
Predictions for the 2024 fire season made by the National Interagency Fire Center in June 2024 included temperatures above normal and precipitation below normal, due to the ENSO transition to a La Niña pattern, resulting in an above normal fire potential for Western Washington in July through September.
On July 10, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources announced a burn ban on its lands that would last until at least September 30. The ban was issued in response to several large, human-caused wildfires amid the statewide drought emergency and drier-than-normal weather across Washington. The largest fire at the time was the Pioneer Fire in the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest near Lake Chelan, which had grown to more than .
On October 30, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources announced the end of the 2024 fire season. Over 300,000 acres were burned by wildfires in Washington state in 2024.
List of wildfires
The following is a list of fires that burned more than , or produced significant structural damage or casualties. NameCounty AcresStart dateContainment dateNotesRefPioneerChelan Town of Stehekin ordered to evacuate (by boat) on the morning of July 28 Nisqually JohnWhitmanJune Beam RoadYakima Neff RoadWalla WallaJune Slide Ranch/Mission RoadYakimaBegan on Yakama Reservation, arson Joe Barker RoadWalla Walla Road 11Ferry Cougar CreekAsotin, Garfield SwawillaFerry & Okanogan Closed State Route 21 and Keller Ferry, evacuations of Keller and the Buffalo Lake area Easy Okanogan October 1 Closed North Cascades Highway (SR 20) Miners ComplexSnohomish, Skagit October 31 Bridge CreekFerryAugust 4 Davin RoadFranklinJuly Black CanyonYakima August 1 BighornKlickitat RetreatYakima Closed US-12, caused evacuations and county-wide declaration of emergency Lower GraniteGarfield August 2 At least one structure destroyed. Williams MineSkamania County People near Trout Lake evacuated; Mount Adams Wilderness and part of the Pacific Crest Trail closed Calcite CreekOkanogan Pyrocumulus cloud generated a few miles away in Manning Provincial Park, Canada; NOAA potential fire alerts less than a mile from the border; Pasayten Wilderness trails closed beginning August 6. RubyWhatcom October 31 Road 2620Jefferson Roads and trails including Mount Jupiter trail closed, homes threatened around DuckabushStaymanChelan August 24 GoosmusFerry Long HollowWhitman September 27 Jack WellsOkanogan Evacuations for parts of Brewster.
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