Master Fire Agreement Negotiation Update
State and federal response to wildfire in Idaho is governed by a Master Fire Agreement that is renegotiated every 5 years. The agreement defines how IDL cooperates predominantly with the BLM and US Forest Service on preparedness and fire suppression across the vast Idaho landscape.
Generally, fire directors for the respective agencies negotiate the agreement and submit it to the appropriate level within their organizations for signature. For IDL, the signatory is the State Forester.
IDL briefed the Land Board in December 2022 regarding the status of the negotiations, noting the State's interests were well covered with a new proposed agreement. The briefing memo from the December 2022 Land Board meeting is attached. At the March Land Board meeting, IDL State Forester Craig Foss will provide a follow-up informational briefing to the board.
Over the past few budget cycles, IDL has been working to modernize our fire program and position ourselves to continue to maintain a successful track record on initial attack under a new agreement. Last summer IDL fire crews kept 94% of fires we were responsible for to less than 10 acres, which is an impressive feat. We greatly appreciate the support of the Land Board and the Legislature of our efforts to provide our men and women on the fireline the resources, training, leadership and compensation they need to do their jobs safely and efficiently.
The current agreement expires at the end of April 2023 and IDL is in a good position to sign the proposed agreement by the end of next month, with implementation to begin this fire season.
Women Reaching Women in Forestry
Today, Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and UI Extension offered a women-centric forestry workshop at the U of I Research Park in Post Falls.
IDL launched a news release and social media posts, along with a promotional video about the event, that it resulted in 40 women signing up to participate.
Women landowners are playing an increasingly important role in forest management decisions but they are consistently in the minority at forestry education events in Idaho. Recent evaluations from forestry training events hosted by the University of Idaho Forestry Extension (UI Extension) indicate that women typically make up about 30% of the attendees.
With that in mind, the registration results of today's event shows a successful outreach by IDL and UI Extension.
WATCH THE PROMO VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
Capital for a Day in Gooding
Randal Brunmeier, a Lands Resource Supervisor from the Jerome Field Office, represented IDL at Governor Little's Capital for a Day in Gooding today. The Jerome Field Office is administratively attached to IDL's Eastern Supervisory Area. Eastern is affectionately known as "Area 51" because it covers 51% of Idaho's landmass.
The endowments own 21,114.75 surface acres in Gooding County and distributed nearly $550,000 to local schools in Fiscal Year 2022.
FY 2022 endowment distributions for the school districts in the county:
Gooding School District #231 $227,462.95
Wendell School District #232 $193,009.64
Hagerman Joint School District #233 $81,667.55
Bliss Joint School District #234 $44,414.39
$546,554.53
FY 2022 Endowment Income in Gooding County:
Grazing Leases (14 leases / 6,651 AUMs) $45,625.86
Cropland Leases (1 lease / irrigated) $34,879.51
$80,505.37
It's Never Too Early for Fire Prevention Education
When it comes to fire prevention education in Idaho, we know the importance of starting young. Last week IDL's Fire Prevention, Education, and Outreach Specialist Jen Russell and our team hosted a group of 25 three to five year old children at the Interagency Fire Cache.
The tots learned about preventing wildfires, met Smokey Bear, and walked the cache in kid-size fire helmets.
Who knows, maybe we inspired a few future IDL wildland firefighters!
Not all wildfire work happens on the fireline. Wildfire dispatchers ensure resources like crews, engines and aircraft are swiftly deployed on incidents so wildfires can safely yet aggressively be suppressed.
IDL, Idaho's timber protective associations and federal agencies with wildland fire responsibilities all rely on dispatch centers. Seven centers, strategically located across the landscape, serve the state. Dispatch centers typically employ a crew of 12 to 14.
This year marks the 25th season of operation for the Coeur d’Alene Interagency Dispatch Center. To help raise awareness about the important role of dispatch and recruit new dispatchers, IDL produced the video A look Inside a Wildfire Interagency Dispatch Center.
If you know someone who is interested in a fast-paced and exciting career in wildfire dispatch, please encourage him or her to contact Beth Crowell at bcrowell@idl.idaho.gov.
WATCH THE RECRUITMENT VIDEO ON YOUTUBE
Preventing Wildfires with Envelopes
Tim Cox, an Office Specialist II at the Boise Staff Office, recently pointed out that sending mail can be a useful tool for preventing wildfires. However, his observation isn't what you may think.
Tim realized that not all envelopes IDL uses come preprinted with a fire prevention message. While a few feature the slogan "Keep Idaho Green Prevent Wildfire," most envelopes simply feature IDL's logo and a return address.
After Tim identified this opportunity, Jen Russell devised a new message for the agency's envelopes, "Protect Idaho, Prevent Wildfires." Kellie Labonte then worked with IDL's envelope vendor to update all envelope templates with the new prevention message.
Great work Team IDL!
Senate Bill 1049 - Recreation on Endowment Land
On Thursday, March 16, SB 1049, a stakeholder-sponsored bill designed to help address recreational impacts on endowment land, was sent to the Governor's desk to be signed into law.
Sen. Mark Harris previously carried the bill through the Senate where it passed 25-9-1. Rep. Jerald Raymond carried the legislation through the House where it passed 54-15-1.
This legislation, authored principally by David Claiborne of the Idaho State ATV Association, eliminates the heavy-handed misdemeanor or felony charges for minor offenses that are currently the only charges available for law enforcement to bring. Instead, the bill allows POST-certified law enforcement officials to issue a warning ticket for minor first offenses, with second violations under the statute being punished with an infraction and $250 fine.
Citizens' due process rights are protected by requiring IDL to post visible signage in the area where recreation use restrictions may apply, publish the restrictions on the agency’s website and make the information available at the nearest IDL area office.
Fast Facts for Board Members Webpages
The online resource for Land Board members and their staff, Fast Facts for Board Members, contains links to meeting materials and more. These webpages provide general information about IDL, contact information for executive staff, outline the agency's authorities.
Employees Leaving IDL
We wish departing team members the very best in their new endeavors.
- Donna Caldwell, Boise Staff Office
- Wade Kimball, Boise Staff Office
- Steve Millert, Mica Supervisory Area
In Case You Missed It
One Team One Voice Webpage
Did you miss some important news? Are you curious about knowing what's happening across IDL? Our One Team, One Voice webpage contains an archive of IDL's newsletters covering:
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