Weekly Fire Update
There are currently no major fires on IDL Protection.
This week IDL published the final Statewide Weekly Update for the season.
Statewide, more than 84,000 acres have burned this season. This includes 1,361 acres of endowment land.
As of Thursday, September 14, 2023, IDL had spent an estimated $16.86 million on fire suppression activities. Approximately $2.3 million of that is reimbursable to IDL for assisting other agencies on their fires. So far this year, the total estimated net obligation to the General Fund is $14.56 million.
This total obligation includes costs for contracted aircraft and prepositioned contract engines used to offset resource scarcity. These engines were deployed strategically across the state to boost initial attack resources.
View the Most Current Wildfire Report on IDL's Fire News Feed
Idaho Land Leaders' Summit Slated for October 4 and 5
Expanding on last summer's successful leadership tour of the Benton cedar salvage sales cohosted by IDL and Stella Jones, next month IDL and Idaho's forest products industry will cohost the Idaho Land Leaders' Summit in Coeur d'Alene.
Invited participants include Land Board members and their staff, legislators, local county commissioners, IDL staff, and representatives from Idaho's forest products industry.
The two-day event begins on Wednesday, October 4 with an industry-sponsored reception and dinner at the Coeur d’Alene Resort. During the dinner, Dr. Dennis Becker, Dean of the University of Idaho's College of Natural Resources, will lead a panel discussion about the Importance of Forest Management to Idaho’s Economy.
Thursday, October 5 will be spent in the field. During the tour, leaders will visit forestry sites and learn about issues that are critically important to both the department and industry, including: forest management, mitigating wildfire risk, fiber supply, workforce development and more. The agenda features stops at a Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) project, a 2023 wildfire in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), a timber sale and a tour of Idaho Forest Group’s mill at Chilco.
Director Miller Visits Clearwater, Maggie Creek Supervisory Areas
This week Director Miller traveled north to visit IDL's Clearwater Supervisory Area in Orofino and Maggie Creek Supervisory Area in Kamiah.
During the visits he met with local staff members, answered questions about the agency's transition to Luma and highlighted the importance of employee self-care, particularly as it relates to mental health. Additionally, he discussed the agency's future proofing initiative, work underway on the next itineration of the Forest Asset Management Plan (FAMP) and monetizing recreation.
While at the Maggie Creek office in Kamiah, he also toured IDL's new seasonal housing facility.
Idaho Outdoor Recreation Fund Advisory Council Meeting
This afternoon the Governor's Idaho Outdoor Recreation Fund Advisory Council will convene at the Department of Fish and Game's headquarters in Boise. Director Miller will participate in the meeting.
The agenda includes a review of the results from a recent outdoor recreation survey conducted by GS Strategy. Participants will also discuss the application and evaluation process for funding projects that improve under-utilized outdoor recreation resources, enhance access, increase revenue and improve long-term outdoor recreation sustainability.
Prescribed Fire Near Weippe Sparks Community Interest
A prescribed fire southwest of Weippe, Idaho, caught the attention of community members who flooded the Grangeville Interagency Dispatch Center with calls of concern.
The dispatch center reached out to IDL for help communicating with area residents.
While IDL doesn't typically use its Wildfire Alert system for prescribed fires, the agency quickly pushed out messaging to assure the public that the 96 acres Fiddle Vane Pulp was a planned event via its alert system and social media.
The message was sent to 5,571 Wildfire Alert subscribers via SMS/text messaging and email. It explained that when planning a prescribed fire, fire officials consider a variety of factors including the safety of the public and fire crews, weather, and conditions on the ground. It also noted that prescribed fires are often used to reduce dangerous fuel loads.
Crews from IDL's Craig Mountain Forest Protective District and Maggie Creek Supervisory Area, along with personnel from Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association, conducted this burning operation.
IDL Participates in Idaho Sportsmen’s Town Hall Meeting
Last week Director Miller attended Idaho Sportsmen’s monthly Town Hall Meeting. This group collaborates with stakeholders to protect and advance access and opportunity to hunt, fish, trap, and recreate in Idaho.
At this month’s meeting Director Miller provided an update about fire season, discussed the Governor’s new Idaho Outdoor Recreation Fund Advisory Council, and provided an update about rulemaking related to Senate Bill 1049, the stakeholder endowment land recreation bill Idaho Sportsmen supported.
Miller also expressed IDL’s appreciation for ongoing collaboration with the group to help prevent unwanted human caused fires. IDL and Idaho Sportsmen launched a joint wildfire prevention news release prior to the Labor Day holiday weekend.
A handful of Idaho legislators attended the meeting, including the House Resources and Conservation Chairman Ron Mendive.
Rep. Mendive gave accolades to IDL for the agency’s fast and aggressive suppression of the Cougar Fire, a half-acre incident near his neighborhood.
Paul Bunyan Day Parade
Several members of the West St. Joe Forest Protection District participated in this year's Paul Bunyan Day Parade in St. Maries on Labor Day.
Clayton McQuade, Dillon Holder, Brandon Pugh, and Reese Yerian escorted Smokey Bear on the fire engine.
Cory Flesher, Patrick Chavez and Caden Hammond followed in the pickup.
IDL firefighters participate in the parade each year to express thanks for community support and to educate the public on fire prevention.
This year they handed out items with a fire prevention message and a little Smokey swag. They also distributed IDL-branded collapsible buckets that stow neatly in vehicles and can be used to douse campfires.
Photo Courtesy Tim Parrish, KOFE 1240
Rep. Mendive Helps Community Take Action After Cougar Fire
On August 18, IDL quickly and aggressively suppressed the Cougar Fire, west of Coeur d'Alene Lake off Cougar Gulch Road. Crews held the fire to half an acre.
This incident led Representative Ron Mendive, who lives near it, to call a community meeting to help neighbors new to the area learn how to live more safely in the wildland urban interface.
IDL's Fire Bureau Chief Josh Harvey represented IDL at the meeting on Wednesday evening. He was joined by staff from Kootenai County Fire & Rescue, Kootenai County Emergency Management, and Kootenai County's commissioners' and sheriff's offices. Together they presented for about 45 minutes and answered questions for about an hour.
Rep. Mendive is no stranger to wildfires. In the early 1970s he lived through a wildfire in the same area and credits defensible space for protecting his property and keeping his family safe. As chairman of the House Resources and Conservation Committee, he has worked closely with IDL on fire-related issues. He also owns and operates forestry mastication equipment, helping people in his community make their properties Firewise.
IDL's Fire Bureau Chief Josh Harvey is pictured second from the left
Employees Leaving IDL
We wish departing team members the very best in their new endeavors.
- Hannah (Walik) Juber, Craig Mountain Forest Protective District
- Zack Foster, Southwest Supervisory Area
In Case You Missed It
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