Okanogan County

Okanogan County

Okanogan County is an under-resourced rural area located east of the Cascades Mountains in North Central Washington. Okanogan County is dominated by agricultural land, extensive public and private forest and shrubsteppe, and small towns. The county seat of Okanogan and largest town, Omak (pop. 4933), lie in the foothills of the Okanogan highlands nestled in the Okanogan River Valley. Across the Loup Loup pass in the Methow River Valley, Winthrop, Twisp and Mazama anchor a year-round tourist economy centered on outdoor recreation. Okanogan County is one of the poorest in the state, and residents face a high cost of living that requires many year-round residents and seasonal agricultural workers to live in substandard housing. Per capita income is only 60% of the state average and 20% of households live in poverty.

Environmental challenges in Okanogan County that disproportionately impact low-wage workers and families include year-round poor air quality, predominantly from smoke, including wildfires, prescribed fire, outdoor burning, and woodsmoke. Wildfire frequency, intensity, and duration are all on the rise due to historical land management practices and climate change. In 2018, Okanogan County residents experienced 21 consecutive days of unhealthy to hazardous air quality and 40 days of visual horizon loss. In 2020, the county's Cold Springs fire alone burned 200,000 acres and resulted in 14 days of unhealthy to hazardous air quality from smoke. Wildfires in Okanogan County pose air quality-related health risks from PM2.5 and other pollutants, and threaten homes, agricultural lands, and tourism-based employment.