washington state department of natural resources

There's funding in place for the pilot project that'll treat and then replant the area with fire resistant native plants to establish a more fire resilient landscape.

The Board of Natural Resources approved the purchase of a 170-acre parcel of forested land in Pacific County during its monthly meeting Tuesday morning in Olympia.

DNR officials stress "firefighting operations are more important than those 12 likes you'll get on Instagram."

DNR says drought conditions are expected to worsen over the coming weeks, and extended forecast models show the potential for a heat wave in early August.

New forecasting from the National Interagency Fire Center shows North Central Washington will be especially at risk for wildfires this summer.