UW Quad cherry blossoms expected to peak last week of March

Note: Thousands of people usually visit campus each spring to see the cherry blossoms. The University is asking people to avoid coming to campus this year to comply with orders by Public Health – Seattle & King County and Gov. Jay Inslee that prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people as our region combats the spread of COVID-19. Stay tuned for virtual options to enjoy the blossoms this year, including UW Video’s live feed of the Quad below.

Thinning, prescribed burns protected forests during the massive Carlton Complex wildfire

Remains of a section of a forest burned by the Carlton Complex fire.

The 2014 Carlton Complex wildfire in north central Washington was the largest contiguous fire in state history. In just a single day, flames spread over 160,000 acres of forest and rangeland and ultimately burned more than 250,000 acres in the midst of a particularly hot, dry summer. The wildfire, driven by strong winds and explosive growth, was unprecedented in how it burned the landscape, destroying more than 300 homes in Washington’s Methow Valley.