PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Wildfire season is here for the Pacific Northwest and the KOIN 6 Weather Team wants to provide you with information to keep you prepared this summer.

According to the Predictive Services of the National Interagency Fire Center, our significant wild land fire potential is expected to be above normal for NW Oregon and the western half of Washington now through the end of summer.

The potential for large and costly fires is expected to ramp up to above average levels in northeastern Washington by July. The rise of large, costly fires is expected to spread southward into Oregon by August.

Wildfires directly destroy land, forests, and crops. Smoke pollution and worsening air quality, on the other hand, will continue to be a concern for the Willamette Valley by late summer.

Watch the video above to take a deep dive into how our meteorologists look at fire forecasting and are getting ready for the 2019 fire season.