PEMCO in the Northwest

​I'm a baby boomer who drives old classic Chevies, yet I'm not afraid of the looming autonomous-car age. In fact, I think I welcome it.I like to drive. Always have. I drive a Silverado pickup and own a 1962 Impala and 1970 Chevelle SS that rumble delightfully as I throttle down the road. Driving for me is recreation, not just transportation.So you might think I fear that self-driving cars will someday usurp my rightful place on the pavement. AftFull post

​Two separate nonfatal May 1 rollover crashes on I-90 near Cle Elum resulted from drivers veering to avoid elk, an evasive reaction that sometimes ends badly.Your first thought might be, those were bad moves. We're taught, "don't veer for deer!"But Trooper Brian Moore of the Washington State Patrol told me today that he and his peers are trained to react according to the size of the animal in the roadway."If it's taller than your Full post

​Boating season kicks off in the Northwest on May 5, so here are five tips to prepare trailer boaters, in particular, for hassle-free fun on the water. Flag these weather sites on your smartphone. Conditions can change rapidly on the water, so stay abreast of the forecast:  Washington waters, Oregon coastal waters north and south. Fire up at home before you launch. Use a flusher Full post

​I recently wrote about Firewising in April, citing severe local blazes in recent years. But I neglected to note, until now, why wildfires seem to be worsening.The April 12 Northern Kittitas County Tribune ran an excellent summary of the Northwest's growing wildfire danger, as written by Rose Shriner, an expert who manages wildfire preparedness for Kittitas County. It echoes what PEMCO has learned in its own research and what we're told by WFull post

​Washington's official wildfire season began April 15, and now is the time for rural homeowners to rid their property of wildfire fuel. It's time to Firewise.A key Firewise practice is to build defensible space around your home, so that if fire encroaches, it will find little fuel.I first learned about Firewise 14 years ago when we bought our second home on 5 acres near Cle Elum. Growing up in Seattle's Eastside suburbia, I was ignorant of the dFull post