For many Pacific Northwest residents, summer is what they live for. The promise of bluebird days with sunshine and temperatures warm enough to step into the sound without a wetsuit is what makes the seemingly never-ending months of rain and cold worth it. But can there be too much of a good thing?

Summer this year has brought, on multiple occasions, up to a week’s worth of temperatures in the lower 90s and blown-in smoke from wildfires raging in British Columbia and now Cle Elum. Aside from a slight drizzle two weeks ago, there has been no measurable precipitation for months, and the hot temperatures aren’t expected to let up soon. According to an Aug. 25 Seattle Times article, for the first time since recordkeeping began 122 years ago, all of Seattle’s high temperatures in July and August will be 70 degrees or warmer, according to projections from the National Weather Service. This is keeping fire danger high throughout the region. According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, there are seven large wildfires burning in the north and west portions of the state right now.

Here on Vashon, the warm weather has brought the usual slew of summer tourists, and the ferry system has been a mess with partially filled late sailings and lines of up to two-hour waits extending up Fauntleroy Way.

With all of this in mind, here are five of The Beachcomber’s hopes for fall — which will be officially marked by the Autumnal Equinox on Sept. 22.

1. Gradual rains move in and extinguish the fires burning throughout the state.

2. Washington State Ferries, the Triangle Route Improvement Task Force and Ferry Advisory Committees figure out how to bring consistent and on-time service to the Triangle Route. Hopefully, the end-of-summer ridership drop helps accomplish this goal.

3. Vashon’s newest eatery, The Ruby Brink, opens to an enthusiastic response, and the island continues its growing reputation as a dining destination.

4. The island’s back-to-school drive is successful and all island children start school with everything they need. Also, with the lawsuit settled, we hope Vashon Island School District teachers and administrators will be able to go about the school year worry-free.

5. The memory of the cougar that called Vashon home this island for one year lives on in islanders’ memories as a reminder that humans and our animals are the newcomers here and we need to continue to work on solutions for living in harmony with the natural world.