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Current News Coverage
Goldrun Fire north of Boise grows to 850 acres
Idaho Press, 7-21-23
The Goldrun Fire grew to nearly 850 acres Thursday afternoon, the Idaho Department of Lands announced in a news release. It was an estimated 400 acres on Wednesday.
No evacuation orders have been issued, but structures remain threatened, the release said. The blaze is approximately three miles northeast of Ola, in Gem County, about 55 miles north of Boise.
Responders are fighting the flames with seven helicopters, "several" air tankers, five 20-person ground crews, two water tenders and seven engines. There are 200 fire personnel assigned to the fire, the release said.
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Goldrun Fire, burning an hour north of Boise, around 850 acres as of July 19, 2023
Big Country News, 7-20-23
BOISE - The Goldrun Fire has grown to nearly 850 acres since yesterday afternoon, July 19, 2023. The local sheriff has not issued evacuation orders, but structures remain threatened. The fire is approximately three miles northeast of Ola, Idaho in Gem County, about an hour north of Boise. The wildfire is burning in grass and timber.
The fire continues to be fought aggressively by air and on the ground. Seven (7) helicopters are dropping water and several air tankers are dropping retardant. On the ground there are five (5) 20-person hand crews, two (2) water tenders and seven (7) engines. There are currently 200 fire personnel assigned to the fire.
Crews are constructing dozer lines and hand lines and have completed one back burn in effort to create fire breaks to stop the blaze from spreading.
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State gives fire cost update at Land Board meeting
KMVT, 7-20-23
BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —As the dry and hot conditions continue in Idaho and fires are rapidly breaking out in neighboring states. Idaho Department of Lands gave a fire update at the land board this week.
As of July 13th the department of lands says 117 fires have been recorded in the state. Of those, 91 were determined to be human caused. Something the department says is due to more people on endowment land either living, working, or recreating.
The total acres burned to date is just above seven thousand with the most on bureau of land management land. So far fire expenses have cost the state more than four million dollars.
Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller says, “emergency fire suppression expenditures were estimated to be at just over 4.6 million dollars. 145 thousand dollars of this are reimbursable costs that will be recovered by the state leaving the current net obligation of about 4.45 million dollars so far.”
That amount includes the contracted fire suppression resources like aircraft and engines.
It’s expected that number will go up as we head into August.
Estimated peek fire season is in September for southern Idaho.
Goldrun fire near Ola continues to spread threatening homes, nearing 850 acres
KBOI2, 7-20-23
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — The Goldrun fire just north of Ola, Idaho, continues to grow in size, spurred on by soaring temperatures and gusty winds.
The Idaho Department of Lands reported Wednesday the fire had grown exponentially from 50 to over 400 acres and was an estimated 850 acres as of Thursday morning. The Idaho Department of Lands now has the fire classified as human-caused.
According to the Idaho Department of Lands, the fire is burning in grass and timber. The sudden growth east threatens High Valley summer cabins, ranches and homes. No evacuations have been ordered yet, at the time of this publication.
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IDL: fire season normal, still urging caution
St. Maries Gazette Record, 7-19-23
As summer heats up the local Idaho Department of Lands is prepping for fire season and is encouraging the public to take steps to prevent forest fires.
IDL fire warden Corey Flesher says fire season should be normal this year with grass and other vegetation starting to dry out due to streaks of warm weather in area.
“We are are at moderate right now but it’ll probably go up to high in the coming weeks,” Flesher said.
He said having a cool and wet June has helped to contribute to having more moisture in rural regions throughout the county.
“We are not looking like we did during the major fire seasons we had in 2015 and 2021,” he said. “Things look fairly normal right now.”
Flesher said in June 2021, the area had only accumulated around a half inch of rainfall. This year, June saw more than two and a half inches and record low temperatures in some areas.
“June is a big determiner of what our fire season will be like,” Flesher said.
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Goldrun fire grows over 10x in size overnight
KIVI, 7-19-23
OLA, Idaho — Due to low humidity and erratic winds, a fire that started on July 18 in Ola, Idaho, grew significantly overnight. According to the Idaho Department of Lands the fire was mapped at around 50 acres on July 18 and has grown to 700-800 acres on July 19.
The wildfire is burning in grass and timber. Fire crews are doing what they can to contain the fire, but they say weather could cause it to move. The flames are currently moving east toward High Valley and while structures are threatened, no evacuations have been ordered.
Fire crews dispatched just after 6:30 pm on July 18 were equipped with fire engines, a dozer from the Bureau of Land Management, hand crews from the Forest Service, and another engine and fire crews from the Idaho Department of Lands.
Aircraft have also been deployed and are expected to continue dropping fire retardants to assist fire crews on the ground.
A Great Basin Type 3 Incident Management Team has been ordered in case the fire continues growing in size. That team has an in-briefing on the morning of July 20 to get caught up to speed.
This is a breaking story, check back for details.
Roads closed, structures threatened as wildfire spreads north of Ola
Emmett Messenger Index, 7-19-23
A wildfire that started Tuesday evening in grasslands north of Ola, in upper Gem County, has spread overnight and remains uncontrolled this afternoon. Efforts to contain the fire that is moving into timber and moving toward High Valley has prompted road closures in the area.
According to a release Wednesday afternoon from Gem County:
"Gem County Road and Bridge (“GCRB”) reports road closures in the Ola area due to fire activity. High Valley Road is closed from the Sweet Ola Highway; residents in High Valley are directed to access via Smith’s Ferry. Holbrook Lane is closed from the Sweet Ola Highway. GCRB has crews in the area assisting the ongoing fire efforts led by the Idaho Department of Lands. “We expect to reopen Holbrook Lane and High Valley Road when fire activity ceases and incident command indicates it is safe to do so.” GCRB Director Neal Capps explains.
Parts of Idaho facing elevated wildfire fire risk through September
Idaho Capital Press, 7-19-23
Due to drought conditions in North Idaho and warmer than normal temperatures across the state, most of North Idaho and southwest Idaho is at elevated risk for wildfire through September.
That was the assessment Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller delivered to Gov. Brad Little and the other members of the Idaho Board of Land Commissioners on Tuesday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.
Thanks to a cool, wet spring, most of Idaho experienced a slower start to the fire season without a lot of significant fires or acres burned.
But despite the cool, wet start to the year, state officials have been urging caution for weeks, saying that much of North Idaho experienced less snowpack and a rapid melt off that led to prolonged drying and drought conditions.
“The late spring put North Idaho on a rapid drying trend with above-average temperatures and below normal (precipitation),” Miller told the land board Tuesday. “As you’ll recall, many places in North Idaho saw below-normal snowpack this winter.”
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Goldrun fire near Ola swells from 50 to 800 acres overnight, threatens High Valley homes
KBOI2, 7-19-23
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — A wildfire just north of Ola, Idaho, has grown exponentially overnight from an estimated 50 to 800 acres. The low humidity and erratic winds caused the fire to expand, and it is expected to continue to grow throughout Wednesday, with forecasted temperatures over 100 degrees and dry winds moving in from the west.
According to the Idaho Department of Lands, the fire is burning in grass and timber. The sudden growth east threatens High Valley summer cabins, ranches and homes. No evacuations have been ordered yet, at the time of this publication.
Idaho Department of Lands reports that a Great Basin Type 3 Incident Management Team has been ordered due to the chance that the fire will continue to grow. That will increase the number of personnel from 80 to 150 as they take over management.
Wildfire in Gem County grows dramatically overnight
KTVB, 7-19-23
OLA, Idaho — A wildfire spotted Tuesday evening in northern Gem County has grown from an estimated 50 acres to an estimated 700 to 800 acres, the Idaho Department of Lands reported Wednesday morning.
The IDL also said low humidity and erratic winds overnight fanned the fire's growth, and the fire, dubbed the Goldrun Fire, is likely to grow Wednesday due to hot, dry, windy conditions. The fire is burning in grass and timber about three miles northeast of Ola, which is about an hour north of Boise. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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Info sought on 'suspicious' Candle Hill Fire
Bonner County Daily Bee, 7-18-23
SANDPOINT — While it was quickly extinguished thanks to extensive air support, investigators say the Candle Hill Fire is suspicious and are seeking information on the blaze.
Meanwhile, crews have brought the Bee Top Fire on the Sandpoint Ranger District to 78% containment and crews continued to hold the line on the Consalus Fire, located on the Priest River Ranger District.
Candle Hill Fire
Reported at 3 p.m. Sunday, Idaho Department Lands wildland firefighters were dispatched to a suspicious wildfire on Granite Mountain east of U.S. 95 and Kelso Lake.
With the help of extensive and expensive air support, IDL officials said firefighters contained the fire to seven acres.
“The cause of this fire is under investigation and IDL investigators need your help,” said Rodney Weeks, IDL’s fire investigation program manager. “If you have information about how this fire started, or photos of the fire taken close to the time of ignition, please share what you know with our investigation team.”
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With forecasted wildfire threat, panel focuses on prevention efforts
Idaho Reports, 7-18-23
The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region 2023 Summit on Tuesday brought experts together to discuss wildfire prevention in Idaho and across the West.
The conversation came as legislators, policymakers and experts gathered for the annual summit. Idaho Department of Lands State Forester Craig Foss spoke on the panel about the roughly 9 million acres of land his agency attempts to maintain during fire season.
So far this season, there’s an above average number of fires but a below average number of acres burned, due largely to lightning ignition fires, Foss said.
To date, the IDL website reports 134 wildfires this year which have burned about 520 acres. Of those fires, the causes are listed as 63 human-caused, 33 natural causes, and 38 are undetermined causes. Those are only fires reported on land IDL protects, not other state or federal agencies or private landowners.
Foss expressed concern for national forests and a lack of mechanical thinning, a method of thinning dense areas of trees to help forests withstand fire. Clearing the vegetation helps reduce the amount of fuel for wildfires.
“I’m a huge advocate for mechanical thinning,” Foss said. “One of the concerns I have with the condition of our forests, particularly our national forests, are (they’re) at a huge risk with insect disease and fire.”
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University of Idaho Extension Forestry to host Forestry Field Day in Island Park on July 27
Idaho State Journal, 7-17-23
Many Idaho forest landowners desire a better understanding of how forests grow and how they can better manage their forest property to meet their goals, be it to reduce fire potential or to harvest timber or manage for wildlife. Whether you have 2 acres or 5,000 acres, this program will give you a look at different management practices implemented by family forest landowners and managers. This program will allow participants to engage with natural resource professionals and landowners through discussions on managing lands for a variety of objectives by applying various stewardship practices.
A one-day program titled Forestry for Eastern Idaho will be held July 27 beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Island Park EMS building, 4378 County Circle, off of Library Road, and conclude by 4 p.m. The tour will start with an indoor session and then go to various locations throughout the course of the afternoon. Please bring a sack lunch and dress for field and weather conditions. Walking distances will be minimal.
The program will be led by Randy Brooks and Audra Cochran with the University of Idaho, and Laurie Stone and Tom Eckberg with the Idaho Department of Lands.
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PotlatchDeltic 2022 ESG Report: Reducing Wildfire Risk
Investor's Observer, 7-13-23
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / July 13, 2023 / Wildfires can occur because of lightning or human causes. While human causes are the source of over 87% of total fires, lightning accounts for over 54% of total acres burned. The U.S. West has seen an increase in fire size and frequency, driven by drought, excess fuel build up on federal forest ownership, and inaccessible acreage. In the U.S. South, weather, ownership, and access typically enable a more effective wildfire response. As climate change increases wildfire risk, mitigation measures and coordination across ownerships become increasingly important. Wildfire behavior can be influenced by weather, amount of readily combustible fuels, lack of moisture, and topography, and when the conditions are right, fire severity can increase and cause damage to the environment. The strongest tool to mitigate wildfire risk is to reduce the amount of fuel that is readily available in the understory, midstory, and overstory through thinning, prescribed fire, maintained fuel breaks, and strategically placed landscape-level fuels treatments. These timberland management treatments have also been proven to improve forest health and biodiversity benefits. In addition, a forest with age-class diversity reduces available fuels and young forests act as natural landscape fire breaks.
In Idaho, we have implemented heightened measures to prevent fires, minimize damage from fires and to protect our timberlands from loss.
WILDFIRE IN IDAHO
"I have gained a unique perspective regarding wildfire over a 30-year career managing timberland in the Pacific Northwest. Serving as the President of the Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association* with wildfire protection responsibility on 1 million acres of private, state and federal property has provided me insight into wildfire funding, prevention, and suppression tactics." - Rich McMillan, District Forester, PotlatchDeltic
Q: What are some of the challenges you face fighting wildfire in Idaho?
A: Ownership patterns in Idaho are typically not contiguous, but rather a checkerboard pattern with Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) state, federal, and private timberlands. This creates significant complexities when fighting wildfire. Managed lands do not have the same heavy fuel loads that unmanaged lands carry. When fire starts or moves into unmanaged lands, it can intensify significantly as a result of the fuel load. In addition, firefighters have better access on managed lands than on unmanaged lands through established and maintained road systems.
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Fire investigators need public's help in determining cause of Candle Hill Fire near Kelso Lake
NonStop Local, 7-16-23
BAYVIEW, Idaho — The seven-acre fire that blazed near Kelso Lake on Saturday afternoon has been contained, according to the Idaho Department of Lands.
Now, the department is turning to the public to determine the cause of the fire.
They ask anyone with information on how the fire started or anyone with photos of the fire taken close to the time of ignition to share what they know with the investigation team.
IDL fire investigators can be reached by email or by calling (208)-666-8697.
Fire risk in Boise area upgraded to 'high' as temperatures rise
KTVB, 7-14-23
The Idaho Department of Lands earlier this week upgraded the fire risk in the Boise area from 'moderate' to 'high' amid dry conditions and rising temperatures. (watch video)
Candle Hill Fire Held at Seven Acres by Firefighters: Public Assistance Sought for Investigation
Big Country News, 7-16-23
COEUR D’ALENE – On July 15th at 3 pm PST, IDL wildland firefighters were dispatched to a suspicious wildfire on Granite Mountain east of Highway 95 and Kelso Lake.
With the help of extensive and expensive air support, firefighters contained the Candle Hill fire at just seven acres.
“The cause of this fire is under investigation and IDL investigators need your help,” said Rodney Weeks, IDL’s fire investigation program manager. “If you have information about how this fire started, or photos of the fire taken close to the time of ignition, please share what you know with our investigation team.”
IDL fire investigators can be reached by emailing investigation@idl.idaho.gov or by calling 208-666-8697.
According to Weeks, the agency investigates the cause of every wildfire on the land it protects. “Under Idaho law, those who negligently start a fire can be responsible for covering suppression costs and economic damages,” he added.
Since IDL has no authority to pursue criminal charges, the agency works closely with the Idaho State Fire Marshall to investigate all cases of suspected arson and hold arsonists fully accountable under the law.
Crews put out wildfire near Bayview, Idaho
KXLY, 7-15-23
BAYVIEW, ID. — Crews have put out a fire that burned near Bayview, Idaho.
The fire was near Farragut State Park near US 95 and Bayview Road. There were multiple fire crews on the scene, including two scoopers, one helicopter and one jet tanker.
According to the Idaho Department of Lands, the fire has burned around seven acres.
The fire was called the Candle Hill Fire.
The Department of Lands is asking for your help identifying the cause of the fire. They are asking anyone with information on how the fire started or photos of the fire taken close to the time when it started to share it with their investigation team.
Fire investigators need public's help in determining cause of Candle Hill Fire near Kelso Lake
KHQ, 7-16-23
BAYVIEW, Idaho — The seven-acre fire that blazed near Kelso Lake on Saturday afternoon has been contained, according to the Idaho Department of Lands.
Now, the department is turning to the public to determine the cause of the fire.
They ask anyone with information on how the fire started or anyone with photos of the fire taken close to the time of ignition to share what they know with the investigation team.
IDL fire investigators can be reached by email or by calling (208)-666-8697.
C-PTPA fire update for the week of July 12, 2023
Clearwater Tribune, 7-12-23
The Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association C-PTPA) has had an increase in fire activity over the past week. We encourage everyone to be very cautious when recreating anywhere on the District. Temperatures are hot and fuels are drying quickly.
On July 4, we had a report of a wildfire in the Deer Cedar area near Grangemont Road. C-PTPA responded to the fire along with the Hillcrest helicopter that is on contract for the summer. This fire was approximately 1.5 acres in size. Cause of the fire is under investigation.
Another fire was reported on July 5, again in the Deer Cedar area but near the Harmony Heights Loop. The Association again responded with personnel and equipment to this fire along with the Hillcrest helicopter. This fire was approximately one acre in size and the cause is also under investigation.
Sustainable Timber Harvests Hits New High, Benefiting Idaho’s Public Schools
Idaho County Free Press, 7-10-23
Idaho’s Public School children and other beneficiaries will see endowment financial support increase thanks to a more robust Forest Asset Management Plan. This fiscal year will have the largest recommended sales volume in Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) history.
IDL is headed into the fifth year of the plan that increased recommended sales volume by 81 million board feet over five years. It incrementally took the recommended sales volume from 247 million board feet in 2019 up to 328 million board feet this year.
IDL manages about one million acres of endowment timberlands, which make up about six percent Idaho’s productive forestlands. However, given the agency’s long-term approach to sustainable forestry, endowment land supplies nearly one-third of the sawlogs that feed Idaho’s lumber mills.
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Fire danger rising quickly in region
Bonner County Daily Bee, 7-9-23
Fire conditions are rapidly changing in North Idaho with a sudden increase in the number of wildfires, Idaho Department of Lands officials said.
Nearly 40 wildfires have been fought in the region since the last week of June. IDL crews have been dispatched to 16 fires and the Forest Service has fought 13 wildfires. Many of the fires under IDL protection were human-caused, officials said.
“Drier conditions in the higher elevations of the mountains have resulted in the fire rating increasing to Very High, with a forest-wide fire danger of High,” said Brian Hicks, fire warden for the Pend Oreille Forest Protective District.
Fire officials are asking the public and industry to increase their caution as a spark in dry conditions can start and carry a fire a long distance very quickly.
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Sustainable timber harvests hits new high, benefiting Idaho’s public schools
KIFI, 7-7-23
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - Idaho’s Public School children and other beneficiaries will see endowment financial support increase thanks to a more robust Forest Asset Management Plan. This fiscal year will have the largest recommended sales volume in Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) history.
IDL is headed into the fifth year of the plan that increased recommended sales volume by 81 million board feet over five years. It incrementally took the recommended sales volume from 247 million board feet in 2019 up to 328 million board feet this year.
IDL manages about one million acres of endowment timberlands, which make up about six percent Idaho’s productive forestlands. However, given the agency’s long-term approach to sustainable forestry, endowment land supplies nearly one-third of the sawlogs that feed Idaho’s lumber mills.
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Campfire Restriction within a Timber Sale
Posted July 21, 2023
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Recent fires on endowment land within the Fall East Ton Timber sale area near McCall have resulted in IDL and the Southern Idaho Timber Protective Association (SITPA) banning campfires within that area.
Signs are now posted on all accesses to the timber sale area and are posted throughout the area where campfires are prohibited.
Learn more, view an interactive map of the area: https://loom.ly/-OEeiDg
Goldrun Fire Update
Posted July 20, 2023
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Incident Update: The #Goldrun Fire has grown to nearly 850 acres since yesterday afternoon. The local sheriff has not issued evacuation orders, but structures remain threatened. The fire is approximately three miles northeast of Ola, Idaho in Gem County, about an hour north of Boise. The wildfire is burning in grass and timber.
The fire continues to be fought aggressively by air and on the ground. Seven (7) helicopters are dropping water and several air tankers are dropping…
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