OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has announced that they will be expanding their Wildfire Readiness Program to western Washington.

KING 5 reports that additional services, such as in-person consultations, will be available for Pierce, Thurston, and Mason County residents.

Commissioner Hilary Franz added that anyone in the state is now eligible to get customized information on how to prepare their homes in the event of wildfires.

Since the launch of the program in 2021, over 4,000 people have signed up for wildfire prevention assistance.

Franz cited an increase in “catastrophic” wildfires impacting our region in recent years in her decision to expand the program.