So with the extended dry weather, why haven’t multiple, large fires been breaking out? We have been fortunate so far this summer season to have avoided the afternoon and evening thunderstorms in the mountains and lowlands that often occur in the summer. These thunderstorms often produce what we refer to as “dry lightning” which is simply a thunderstorm that produces lightning without accompanying wetting rain. This is the cause for a large percentage of wildfires in Washington. It isn’t clear that an expected weather pattern change this weekend and next week will increase our chance for dry lightning, but it is possible.