Last year, the state started offering the training courses under legislation, passed in 2018, to boost the number of controlled burns across the state. The 2018 bill fought to establish a prescribed burn certification program at the department of natural resources. “We’re wanting to encourage responsible burning,” said Kyle Lapham, the Department of Natural Resources’ Certified Burner program manager. Lapham said prescribed burns — events planned around weather and conditions — are an effective way to reduce fuels in the forest, as well as improve the environment for endangered species. He teaches students how to make a fire plan, which is based on how much of an area to burn, the weather and the surrounding environment. Read the full story: https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/washington-department-of-natural-resources-offers-trainings-for-controlled-burns-forest-fires/281-0a5ad3df-991d-4cb6-b4cb-85ddcb990219