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Idaho Governor Proclaims July 2 as Wildland Firefighter Day
Big Country News, 7-1-22
Idaho Governor Brad Little has proclaimed July 2 as Idaho Wildland Firefighter Day.
The proclamation recognizes the highly dangerous work Idaho wildland firefighters accomplish in the protection of 6.3 million acres of private, state and federal land.
Last year Idaho’s wildland firefighters fought 413 wildfires on 142 thousand acres, holding 88% of the fires to 10 acres or less. These men and women spend weeks living and working in dirt and smoke and working up against heat and flames while they protect our communities, natural resources, watersheds, recreational opportunities and the forest products industry, which accounts for $2.4 billion of Idaho’s economy.
“Without this skilled workforce in Idaho we wouldn’t be able to combat the continued threat of wildfire,” said Governor Little. “Idaho has invested in our wildland fire program to assure they can respond effectively to the severe fire seasons that are increasingly the new norm in Idaho.”
Idaho National Guard Ready to Fight Wildfires
National Guard, 6-30-22
More than 60 Idaho National Guardsmen completed wildland firefighting training in Boise in June, bringing the number of Guardsmen available to assist the Idaho Department of Lands in the event the governor declares a state of emergency to approximately 170.
“Part of the appeal of the National Guard is serving the state and there’s not really a better way to do it than to fight wildfires,” said Lt. Col. Anthony Vincelli, Idaho National Guard director of joint/domestic plans and training.
The four-day certification course was offered multiple times throughout June and qualified Soldiers and Airmen to earn an Incident Qualification Card, commonly known as a Red Card certification.
The Idaho National Guard began certifying Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen in 2020.
The training and preparation was put to good use in August 2021 when Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued an emergency declaration and authorized Idaho National Guard firefighters and helicopters to help fight wildland fires across the state.
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State of Idaho looking to sell exclusive resort island at public auction
Idaho Capital Sun, 6-30-22
An ‘exclusive’ island, owned by the state and situated on a mountain lake in the resort town of McCall, appears to be finally hitting the auction block later this summer — even as county officials object.
The Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners voted unanimously on June 21 to sell off Cougar Island, which is located on Payette Lake, to the highest bidder at auction. The island is located in the resort and recreation community of McCall, where thousands of people enjoy Payette Lake in the summer and every winter and snowboarders and skiers descend Brundage Mountain.
Idaho Department of Lands officials told Land Board members Cougar Island is an underperforming asset that is currently divided into five leased sites, four of which are unleased. The Land Board is made up of Idaho’s governor, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction, secretary of state and state controller. The Land Board advises the Idaho Department of Lands on how to manage more than two million acres of state endowment lands.
Idaho Department of Lands real estate bureau chief Josh Purkiss recommended selling the island while the real estate market is still hot to generate financial returns that will benefit public schools and other state programs.
He said last year Cougar Island generated $32,400, while it has been appraised in the past at $4.8 million.
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Lion Creek Road closure begins July 5
Bonner County Daily Bee, 6-30-22
A logging project in the Lion Creek Road area near Indian Creek State Park will mean the closure of the roadway during the week for the next few months, Idaho Department of Lands officials said.
The closure is to ensure public safety, and begins July 5, IDL officials said in a Wednesday press release. However, visitors to the area will be able to access the Lion Creek trail head on weekends. After the Fourth of July, “[c]amping will not be allowed in the Lion Creek drainage,” officials said.
“Logging trucks and logging activities for the Idaho Department of Lands’ Lions Edge timber sale requires the weekday closure,” officials said in the release.
The closure, which “will be in effect from Mondays at 12:01 a.m. through Fridays at 5 p.m.,” is expected to last until mid-October.
The logging operation could not begin until July 1, since the operation is taking place in grizzly bear habitat, which is strictly regulated by the state. IDL decided to wait until July 5 to enact the closure in order to accommodate Fourth of July festivities.
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Biden administration approves $9M for sagebrush projects in Idaho, across the West
Idaho Capital Sun, 6-28-22
The federal government has committed to spending nearly $1 million on six projects designed to protect and restore sagebrush habitat in Idaho.
Earlier this month, Department of Interior and Biden administration officials announced they are spending more than $9 million per year over the next five years on sagebrush habitat projects affecting Idaho and seven other states. Idaho’s share of the money comes to $991,279 for fiscal year 2022, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials said.
The administration’s total five-year commitment is up to $50 million, but it has only selected projects for 2022. Idaho’s share of funding could be larger or smaller in future years.
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No Boundaries forestry brings landowners, government together
North Idaho Natural Resources, 6-25-22
Something exciting is happening in the woods.
Forget politics and bureaucracy. Never mind property lines and turf wars. Fire knows no such boundaries, and thanks to the growing success of a concept called shared stewardship, neither to people-at least when it comes to fire mitigation.
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Wildland firefighters get pay parity
North Idaho Natural Resources, 6-25-22
It doesn't take much imagination to envision what a wildland firefighters goes through while battling a forest fire. Giant raging flames spreading at a lightning pace and smoke so think sometimes you can't see in front of you, let alone breathe easily.
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Idaho is not for sale: Amend the Constitution so money isn’t the bottom line
Idaho Statesman, 6-25-22
If there is one thing that is essential to Idaho — that makes Idaho the place that it is — it is its public lands.
Our buildings aren’t so tall. Our weather can be a little tricky. But here there are mountains and lakes, deserts and vast forests where you can disappear and find the solitude lacking in so much of the rest of the world.
So the Idaho land board’s vote this week to auction off Cougar Island on Payette Lake diminishes who and what we are. This is just the latest step in a long process that’s been ongoing since statehood. Idaho started with about 3.7 million acres of endowment land. Today it’s down to about 2.5 million.
The board — made up of the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction and state controller — carried out the charge the Idaho Constitution has given it. The fault is in the Constitution.
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Celebrate Idaho Wildland Firefighter Day
Posted July 1, 2022
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Governor has proclaimed July 2 Idaho Wildland Firefighter Day
Posted July 1, 2022
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Governor Brad Little has proclaimed July 2 as Idaho Wildland Firefighter Day. The proclamation recognizes the highly dangerous work State of Idaho wildland firefighters accomplish in the protection of 6.3 million acres of private, state and federal land. Some are pictured here. News release: https://loom.ly/LsLceeE
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