I f you didn't expect fire season to start until well into August, take note. It's here and it could get bad. But the good news is that some fires are preventable and some are containable.

One of the biggest challenges for farming communities on the drier side of the state is that harvest, one of the busi- est times of year out in the fields, is also the riskiest when it comes to fire danger.

We visited with local fire specialists, Chief Jim Callahan and Captain Brian Callahan, to go over some safety pre- cautions farmers and town residents can take to stay out of trouble, though they warned to let the actual firefighting itself up to them and their trained colleagues.

Now that harvest is in full swing, fires are cropping up in all the usual places, ignited by failing component bearings, overheated brakes or the sickles and guards on a combine rubbing together. Brian Callahan explains there is a direct connection between the west-to-east direction of our local harvest moving across the Walla Walla and Touchet River valleys and the pattern of recent field fires (see story on page 1).

Most farmers already do everything they can to be pre- pared for harvest fires, such as up-to-the-minute maintenance and using only diesel engines, which Callahan said reduce the risk of fires significantly.

The other precaution many farmers take is the creation of a bare strip along country roads to put their crop or field at more of a distance from careless motorists.

Once a fire does break out and begins to spread across a field, the best thing farmers and their neighbors can do is cut a fire break to protect homes, outbuildings, equipment and live stock. And the best tool for that is the disc plow, which turns over crop or stubble and buries most of it to deny the fire new fuel and stop its spread.

Starting any kind of fire right now is completely out of the question. Callahan said the area remains under a strict burn ban until it is lifted. That usually happens in early September and is heavily weather-dependent. Last year, the ban extend- ed well into the post-harvest period when many farmers burn their stubble to boost their subsequent yields.

We also checked with state officials about precautions the rest of us can take to prevent fires during this risky season. Janet Pearce, a spokeswoman for the Department of Natural Resources, said anyone using spark-emitting equipment, such as chainsaws and welding tools, has to make sure it has spark-arresting components.

When camping, don't idle or park your car on dry grass, and in areas where camp fires are permitted, make sure the fire you build is completely out when you leave.

"That's how a lot of fires start," Pearce said. "People think their fire is out and it isn't."

The best advice is to spread and douse the coals - several times if necessary. If there's no more smoke and you can touch the coals, it's out.

All these precautions take extra effort and vigilance. But we believe they're the right thing to do. We all have a respon- sibility to be on our toes during fire season, particularly this year when conditions are unusually combustible.