OLYMPIA – As the temperatures heat up outside, the Washington Department of Natural Resources is working to raise awareness of wildfire risks across the Evergreen State.

“At DNR, we often say that no one is immune from the effects of wildfires,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. “But even the simplest measures – such as cleaning up pine needles and dry leaves, or moving firewood 30 feet away from your home – can make your home more resilient to the growing threat of wildfire.”

Residents throughout the state can go to wildfireready.com to sign up to get a free Wildfire Ready Plan to help make their property more resilient to wildfire, a DNR press release said. Residents in the nine counties listed above can also sign up for a free Wildfire Ready Home Visit from a wildfire professional who can give personalized advice and recommendations about wildfire preparedness.

DNR has expanded its Wildfire Ready Neighbors program to Mason, Thurston, and Pierce counties in Western Washington, adding those counties to Okanogan, Chelan, Spokane, Yakima, Kittitas and Klickitat counties in Eastern Washington.

State residents can also request a visit from a wildfire professional to view their properties and provide advice on how to better protect their homes from wildfire.

Area firefighting agencies have advised the community to ensure they clean up the areas around their homes – whether in the city or out in the country – to reduce the amount of fuel near their homes.

Franz encouraged similar measures to help ensure the safety of Washingtonians homes.

“Wherever you live in Washington, Wildfire Awareness Month and National Community Wildfire Preparedness Day is an excellent time for communities to work together to take simple actions to protect themselves from the threat of wildfire,” Franz said.