The Latest Fire News
The Fire Siren in Underwood: Here’s What It Means
Skamania County Fire Station 3 in Underwood is reintroducing the use of its station siren to help reach volunteers and improve fire response times.
Sign-Up for Alerts
If you have not yet registered to receive Skamania County Emergency Alerts, please make it a priority to do so today! If wildfire evacuation orders are given for Underwood, notification will be sent via the Alert System.
Burn Ban Notices
The Skamania County Fire Marshal issues burn bans for the safety of residents and property throughout the county. Burn season is generally October 1st – June 30th each year; however, always be sure to check the Fire Marshall page or call (509) 427-3900 if you are unsure about current burn bans in effect or burning conditions.
Where to Get Wildfire Updates
Getting timely, accurate information from official sources during an emergency is critical. Below you’ll find links to the three most reliable places to find updates on local wildfires in Underwood: The Skamania County Emergency Alert System, Watch Duty, and various Skamania County Facebook feeds.
If wildfire evacuation orders are given for Underwood, notification will be sent via the Skamania County Emergency Alert system. If you have not yet registered with the county, please make it a priority to do so today! (Note: Skamania County DOES NOT send official emergency notifications via Flash Alert Messenger.)
Watch Duty is a nonprofit mapping app that alerts users of nearby wildfires and firefighting efforts in real-time. You can download it wherever you get apps for your mobile device. Don’t have a mobile phone? No problem. Keep up to date on local wildfire activity via their website from your computer.
The following Facebook feeds are the go-to places for reliable, accurate updates on local agencies affecting Skamania County (including Underwood). You do not need to have a Facebook account to view Facebook updates from the county below. Simply visit this page, hover over the feed (below), and scroll to see current and previous posts.
Managing Wildfire Risk
Creating Defensible Space
Creating defensible space around your home is one of the best ways to take control of your wildfire risk. Local experts with the Wildfire Ready Neighbors program will help you craft a plan for creating defensible space around your home and property.
Mobile Chipping Services
Keeping the trees and shrubs on your property trimmed back from vital structures is a key component of wildfire resilience. The Underwood Conservation District offers Underwood residents FREE mobile chipping services twice a year (eligibility requirements apply). Click here for more information.
Financial Assistance for Forest Owners
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) financial assistance program for wildfire resilience and forest health (formerly referred to as the cost-share program) helps qualifying forestland owners of up to 5,000 acres to write forest management plans and implement forest health or wildfire mitigation treatments. For more information, visit their website here.
Learn More about Wildfire
Understanding how wildfire disasters occur can help homeowners increase the survivability of homes and other assets when wildfires occur. The Firewise online learning module below covers the basics of how wildfires ignite homes and what measures can be taken to make homes safer. The module should take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Firewise USA
The Firewise USA® program provides simple, effective steps to help communities collectively reduce the risk of destruction from wildfire. Underwood is not currently a recognized Firewise community, but there are many compelling reasons to join, including grant opportunities for community-wide wildfire resilience initiatives. If you are interested in helping make Underwood a Firewise community, we’d love to hear from you. Please email us with your interest.
Wildfire Ready Neighbors
The Underwood Conservation District (UCD) has partnered with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to bring the Wildfire Ready Neighbors program to Skamania County. This program provides residents with the opportunity to have a Wildfire Ready Plan, customized specifically to their property and created FREE of charge, in consultation with a local wildfire expert. Because wildfire preparedness isn’t one-size-fits-all, this program is designed to help you creat a plan that works for you, your property, budget, and lifestyle.
Fire-Resistant Plants
The landscape around your home can play a big role in helping reduce the risk of damage that might occur during a wildfire. If you’re planning to do some landscaping soon, this 84-page guide to fire-resistant plants covers everything you need to know about making your property’s landscape more wildfire resilient.
How Safe is Your Home?
Preparing for an Emergency
The following resources have been provided through the Skamania County Emergency Management.
Additional Wildfire Resources
The information on this page is intended to provide residents of Underwood with an overview of the best local resources available to help community members navigate wildfire risks and emergency evacuations safely. As new resources become available, we will be adding to this page, so check back often for updates. If you have a resource you feel would be a good addition to this page, please drop us a line.