Outdoors

The Border 2 and Luna fires are each burning several thousand acres in the North Cascades while 0% contained.

Gov. Bob Ferguson has declared late last month that August is Emergency Management Awareness Month in Washington state.

Farinacci, 37, is charged with starting the Old Trails fire, one of three blazes in the Spokane area that have burned more than 850 buildings, destroying whole neighborhoods and streets. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported.

One of the fires has since been extinguished, while the other is burning on mountainous slope.

Small businesses, private nonprofits and faith-based organizations from Whatcom and Skagit counties are eligible to apply.

The air was unhealthy for sensitive groups in Sumas, Nooksack, Kendall and Maple Falls in the afternoon.

Dry conditions and elevated fire risks led to the ban, which includes recreational fires and fire pits.

Residents are being reminded to avoid contact with bats as encounters rise during summer.

Everson, Kendall and Maple Falls have reached “hazardous” levels.

Forecasters expect winds to keep pushing wildfire smoke from B.C. and eastern Washington into the county through Thursday.