Even though wildfires aren’t an immediate threat to Kirkland, the Kirkland Fire Department (KFD) has pitched in to help around the region since 2018.  Through the Wildland Program, KFD has been assisting with regional wildfires by sending firefighters and vehicles when requested. There are two ways KFD might be asked to assist:

• In large wildfires, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) may request personnel support such as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s) and Public Information Officers (PIO’s), or resources such as an aid car or firetruck.
• For a Washington State Mobilization, there might be a resource request to all the fire agencies in Zone 1, which includes KFD, and the eastside from Bellevue to Snohomish County and east to Kittitas County.

When considering a resources request like this, KFD’s number one priority is the continued safety of the Kirkland community. KFD only fulfills a wildland request if they have enough firefighters and/or resources without compromising their service at home.

This year, KFD has already deployed 9 firefighters to wildfires around the region, including to Port Angeles, Shelton, Tonasket and Oregon.

When personnel are requested, KFD firefighters might be gone for up to two weeks and might get deployed a couple of times a year. About 30 firefighters at KFD participate in the Wildland Program and get extra training every year.

Thank you KFD for keeping Kirkland and our region safe!

Sweater weather may not be here yet, but now is the time to mark your calendar for our upcoming Fall/Winter Recreation Registration!  

NEW for this year… We now have designated registration for Kirkland residents and non-residents.  

Online & Phone-In:  

Kirkland Resident registration opens August 23 at 7 a.m.  

Non-Resident registration opens August 30 at 8 a.m.  

In-person registration is during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  

For a digital copy of the Fall 2023 & Winter 2024 Recreation Guide, visit the City website.   

Questions? Call us at 425-587-3336 or email eparks@kirklandwa.gov.

It’s official – the Greater Downtown Kirkland area has been recently designated as an Urban Center. This recognition from the Puget Sound Regional Council makes it easier for the City to qualify for federal transportation funding in the area. This means possible federal dollars for pedestrian or bicycle projects in the future.  

The Greater Downtown urban center encompasses Kirkland’s historic downtown and the NE 85th Street Station Area. It is the second urban center in the City, after Totem Lake. To read more, visit this link.

Transparent apples, also commonly known as yellow or white transparents, mark the very beginning of our Pacific Northwest apple season. Transparents are a fairly common apple grown in the Greater Seattle area, with many of the older trees in our public orchards being planted for its culinary use.  

McAuliffe Park is one such public orchard that has a couple mature Transparent apple trees. This year, the trees were very productive! With the help of three City Fruit team members, eight community volunteers, and three park goers that dropped in to lend a hand, over 470 pounds of apples were harvested from the two apple trees in just a couple hours. Because Transparent apples are such a great cooking apple, the fruit was designated for processing into applesauce that will be shared with elementary schools throughout western Washington.  

Interested in helping to harvest some of the later-season varieties at McAuliffe? Join City Fruit on Friday, September 22 from 4 - 6:30 p.m. at McAuliffe Park, or email Tiare at tiare@cityfruit.org for additional harvest opportunities. 

There is so much beautiful green adorning our lovely city. While we like to see our region’s lush plants, overgrown vegetation can cause issues. Keeping sidewalks, right-of-ways, and property lines trimmed and groomed makes getting around safer, especially with school starting up again next month.  

Here are some things to keep in mind as you trim and tend:  

• It is the property owner's responsibility to maintain the area adjacent to their property, including trimming or removing plants that overhang or obstruct sidewalks, streets, or alleys and keeping sidewalks clear of debris.  
• The full width of the sidewalk should be free of vegetation and debris for the safety of pedestrians. Be considerate of our neighbors using strollers, wheelchairs, or who may be visually impaired.  
• To request the pruning of a tree in the right-of-way, contact the Planning and Building Department at (425) 587-3600.  
• Blowing or moving leaves and debris into the street is prohibited and increases the risk of storm drain flooding, creates hazardous driving conditions, and slows down the street sweepers. Dispose of your yard waste responsibly.  

For information about sidewalks and roadways, trees, mowing and more, visit our Streets and Grounds webpage. 

Mark your calendars for a Back to School Block Party at Juanita High School on August 26 from 1 – 3 p.m. 

Join the party and get ready for the new school year! Get a free haircut, backpack, and school supplies (while supplies last) thanks to a partnership with Communities in School Renton and Lake Washington School District. 

Want to help and have the means to donate? Contribute to the Backpack Drive accepting donations July 15 – August 15. Highest needs items include mechanical pencils, notebooks, markers, colored pencils, and more. To learn more or to donate, reach out to Communities in Schools Renton at cisr@cisrenton.org or (425) 278-8582.

Two upcoming road closures near Totem Lake Blvd and NE 132nd St.  

• From 8 p.m. Friday, Aug 11 through 5 a.m. Monday, Aug 14, Totem Lake Blvd NE at NE 132nd St will be closed.  
• From 8 p.m. Friday, Aug 18 through 5 a.m. Monday, Sept 4, NE 132nd St will be closed between 116th Way and Totem Lake Blvd NE.  

See images for more details, and visit the WSDOT project webpage.

Summer Meals at Kingsgate Library  

Date: Monday – Friday, now thru August 30  

Time: 12 – 1 p.m.  

Location: Kingsgate Library, 12315 NE 143rd St  

Nourish your body and brain while you read this summer. Enjoy a FREE lunch and be a Summer Reader! No registration required, while supplies last.  

For more information, visit KCLS.org  

For more events from the City, visit our Community Events page. For up to date happenings around Kirkland, visit ExploreKirkland.com/Events.  

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