OLYMPIA — The upcoming wildfire season could yield higher-than-typical forest fire activity in parts of Washington state. An above-average wildfire season in eastern Washington is anticipated due in large part to drought, according to a press release from The National Interagency Fire Center.

While Western Washington has experienced a wetter and cooler spring, it hasn’t been the case for eastern Washington. In fact, the NIFC release noted, central and southern parts of Washington are already at “above-normal risk” for wildfires. The National Integrated Drought Information System identified 18 Washington counties currently experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions, all of which are located east of the Cascades.

The increasing frequency of catastrophic blazes underscores the importance of actively managed forests, according to the release. Fires also play an ecological role in forests, recycling nutrients back into the soil, removing underbrush, clearing fuel buildups like dead branches or dried vegetation, creating and enhancing wildlife habitat, and minimizing the spread of disease and insects, the release added.