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Western U.S. could see catastrophic wildfire season

Hot and dry conditions in the West and Northwest regions of the U.S. this year could lead to a catastrophic wildfire season. But the federal government has reduced the amount of forest land where it’s conducting controlled burns. Burning portions of forest land in advance is one of the best ways to protect against wildfires.

NPR investigative reporter Chiara Eisner takes us to the state of Washington.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

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