All lanes of eastbound I-90 near Kittitas County were blocked for several hours Saturday due to a brush fire sweeping the south side of the road. Around 1p.m. Saturday, Troopers responded to a brush fire along the south side of I-90 near milepost 131, Kittitas County and 5 miles west of Vantage. Trooper John Bryant said in a Tweet early Saturday afternoon that roads are currently blocked due to heavy smoke over the roadway.
- PUB DATE: 7/5/2020 10:42:21 AM - SOURCE: KCPQ-TV FOX 13 Seattle

Availability of firefighters has become a critical need for South Whidbey Fire/EMS staff, according to fire district officials. To meet needs, the fire district is asking voters to approve a levy lid lift of 30 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value during the August primary. If approved, the lid lift would increase from 65 to 95 cents and go into effect in spring 2021.
- PUB DATE: 7/4/2020 1:04:38 AM - SOURCE: South Whidbey Record - Metered Site

Despite the rainy, cloudy weather, Washington is in the middle of wildfire season. This year, projections show Washington and Oregon have the worst wildfire risks in the nation. We have already had more than 300 wildfires in our state. The state is dealing with a $9 billion budget shortfall because of COVID-19, but the Department of Natural Resources says it is prepared to take on a regular fire season.
- PUB DATE: 7/2/2020 9:48:41 AM - SOURCE: KCPQ-TV FOX 13 Seattle

Authorities said two people were rescued by nearby kayakers Wednesday night after a seaplane crashed in Lake Washington. The Seattle Fire Department said firefighters were called to about 200 feet from shore near the 300 block of Lakeside Avenue South for a seaplane crash. One person was standing on top of the plane, authorities said.
- PUB DATE: 7/2/2020 7:14:04 AM - SOURCE: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Firefighters from East Jefferson Fire Rescue helped knock down a house fire on the eastern shore of Sequim Bay early Wednesday morning. The fire was reported just after midnight, at 12:12 a.m. July 1, according to Clallam County Fire District 3. No one was hurt in the fire, which reportedly caused $1.
- PUB DATE: 7/2/2020 1:04:34 AM - SOURCE: Port Townsend Leader