Simple steps can help protect Vashon homes from wildfire

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Here we are in mid-June, and there are wildfires happening across the state. Two decades ago, that would have been unusual. Over the past few years, it has been routine. The fire danger in Washington is at record levels for this time of year, including on Vashon. The forecast for this summer is for that fire danger to continue to be well above normal.

Vashon has a history of wildfires. Perusing old Beachcomber stories, there are a number of times when major fires have burned. In 1922, a fire burned from Tahlequah to Quartermaster Harbor. In 1933, a fire burned from Lisabuela to Island Center. These are just a few of the large fires the island has seen.

We are now in an El Niño, which delivers warmer, drier summers to the Northwest. The National Interagency Fire Center is forecasting significant risk of major fires in Western Washington from July through September. Shorter term, the weather looks warm and dry for the next few weeks, leading up to the July 4 festivities.

Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) is taking steps to be better prepared for wildfires this year. The firefighters have gone through additional training for wildfire response. VIFR has upgraded one of the old brush trucks and has a second replacement on order. Shovels and rakes have been sharpened and are ready for crews to cut fireline.

We are also encouraging residents to take steps to reduce risk at their own homes. These steps include reducing the risk of starting a fire. They also include the risk that a home will ignite if a fire threatens, and being prepared if there is a need to evacuate.

Most wildfires are started by people. Most of the time, these fires are unintentional. VIFR has been working with Puget Sound Energy on steps to reduce power line ignitions. Many other causes can be prevented by residents using common sense measures. Don’t burn yard debris during moderate or high fire danger periods. Leave fireworks to the professionals. Avoid mowing or weed whacking on hot, dry days.

Many people have the impression that reducing wildfire risk equates to cutting trees down. From many years of fire observations and research, we have found that the steps that benefit homeowners most are much closer to home. Ninety percent of all homes lost to wildfires are lost due to embers blown on the wind, landing in gutters or in mulch and spreading to the home.

Here are some simple steps to reduce your risk this summer:

• Clean leaves and needles from your gutters.

• Keep a “fire-free” zone around the base of exterior walls. Five feet is recommended, but even 1 to 2 feet will drastically reduce the risk of the home igniting.

• Remove plants from that fire-free zone, especially junipers or similar highly flammable plants.

• Replace wood or bark mulch with patio stones, pavers or river rock within that fire-free zone.

• Keep firewood, scrap lumber and other flammable items 30 feet away from buildings.

• Cover attic and crawl space vents with 1/8-inch mesh to keep embers from blowing into the house.

• Prevent wooden fences from spreading fire to the home by replacing a 4-foot section with nonflammable materials.

When the 2023 wildfires in Lahaina caused such terrible damage, we saw a single home standing among the devastation. That homeowner had placed gravel all around the base of their home to keep mud and weeds at bay. That simple step was enough to keep embers from having a place to ignite and spread fire to the home. It’s a lesson we can all learn from.

Bill McLaughlin is fire chief of Vashon Island Fire & Rescue.