Current News Coverage
Fire restrictions lifted in Grangeville area, effective August 23
KLEW, 8-22-24
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
GRANGEVILLE, ID- Fire wardens and fire management officers from the Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau of Land Management, Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protection Association, and the Forest Service have collectively decided to remove Stage One fire restrictions for the Grangeville fire restrictions area.
This removal will go into effect on August 23rd. Stage One fire restrictions for North-Central Idaho have been in effect since July 22nd for this area, however the recent cooler temperatures over the next few days have decided to lift the restrictions.
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Lifted for Grangeville Fire Restrictions Area
Big Country News, 8-22-24
GRANGEVILLE – Fire officials have announced that Stage 1 Fire Restrictions for the Grangeville Fire Restrictions Area will be rescinded at 12:01 a.m. PDT on Friday, August 23, 2024. This decision comes after a collective agreement among fire wardens and fire management officers from several agencies, including the Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau of Land Management, Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protection Association, and the U.S. Forest Service.
The restrictions had been in place since July 22, 2024, but recent cooler weather and favorable forecasts for the coming 7-10 days prompted officials to lift the restrictions. While the temperatures have dropped and some rain has occurred, fire managers urge the public to remain vigilant while engaging in outdoor activities, as the potential for human-caused fire starts remains in certain areas of North-Central Idaho.
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Idaho Endowment Lands Generate Record Funding For State Entities Including UI
Pullman Radio, 8-20-24
The Idaho Board of Land Commissioners have allocated a record amount of state funding from endowment lands for the next fiscal year.
The board includes the governor, state controller, secretary of state, attorney general and the state superintendent. The board has approved over 110 million dollars to state entities for fiscal year 2026. That’s up from the prior record of 103 million dollars.
The University of Idaho will receive about 6.6 million dollars from endowment lands. That breaks the old record for the UI which was about 6 million dollars for this fiscal year.
The commissioners serve as the Idaho Endowment Fund Investment Board and manages 2.5 million acres of Idaho endowment land. Proceeds from the land benefits several state entities including public schools and higher education.
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K-12 will receive record $68.2 million from endowment
Idaho Education News, 8-20-24
Public schools will receive an additional $5.2 million from state endowment lands next year.
On Tuesday morning, the state’s Land Board quickly and unanimously approved a series of 2025-26 endowment awards.
Public schools are by far the largest beneficiary from the endowment. While a record, next year’s endowment represents a relatively small piece of the K-12 budget pie. This year, public schools will receive more than $2.6 billion in state money.
All told, the Land Board approved $110.3 million in awards for next year, a 6.9% increase.
Here’s a rundown of the 2025-26 endowment payouts.
- Public schools: $68.2 million, an 8.2% increase.
- State Hospital South: $7.8 million, unchanged.
- University of Idaho School of Science: $7.1 million, up 5.4%.
- University of Idaho: $6.6 million, up 7%.
- Idaho State University normal school: $3.9 million, up 7%.
- Lewis-Clark State College normal school: $3.9 million, up 7%.
- State prison: $3.3 million, up 5.3%.
- University of Idaho, College of Agriculture: $2.1 million, up 5.5%.
- Idaho State University: $2 million, up 5.1%.
- Juvenile corrections: $2 million, up 5.1%.
- State Hospital North: $2 million, up 5.1%.
- State veterans’ hospital: $1.3 million, up 5.4%.
- Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind: $251,000, up 5.4%.
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Idaho Department of Lands hold board meeting to talk about fires and beneficiaries
KMVT, 8-20-24
BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The Land Board of Commissioners held its monthly meeting in Boise this morning.
They heard the monthly fire report from the Department of Lands.
As of Monday, there have been 149 human-caused fires, 94 of which were started by lightning, for 243 fires that burned 23,572 acres.
July saw an increase in fires and their sizes due to dry conditions with above-average temperatures. The fire danger is expected to continue through September.
So far, the cost to the state for IDL land and protection is over $27 million.
“As of Aug. 19, Emergency Fire Suppression expenditures are estimated to be $29,717,500,” IDL Director Dustin Miller said. “The suppression account will recover an estimated $2,670,000 of reimbursable costs, for a net obligation of $27,047,500.”
This does include aircraft costs and contracts for firefighting.
During the land board meeting, the commissioners also approved a record distribution of over $100 million to beneficiaries in fiscal year 2026.
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Idaho officials expect elevated wildfire danger to continue through September
Idaho Capital Sun, 8-20-24
Hot, dry weather led to a significant increase in wildfire activity in Idaho this summer, with an elevated risk for wildfire expected to remain in place through September, state officials told Gov. Brad Little on Tuesday.
During a meeting of the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise on Tuesday, Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller told the board that 400,000 acres of land in Idaho have burned this year.
Miller told land board members the department is requesting a total increase of $3 million in next year’s budget to help with wildfire fighting efforts. The department is requesting five new positions and funding for travel, training, vehicle repair, computer equipment, new pickup trucks and other maintenance items.
The land board is expected to meet again in September and discuss pay levels for firefighters.
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Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Expands Good Neighbor Partnership with Tribal, State, and Local Governments
Big Country News, 8-20-24
KAMIAH - In recent weeks, the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests have signed agreements with the Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Department of Lands, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and Idaho County to collaborate on major restoration projects across the forests. These partnerships leverage the strengths of all partners to achieve shared stewardship priorities across management boundaries through cooperative agreements. These agreements include significant work that proactively reduces the threat to forest communities and private property within the wildland-urban interface.
The primary goal of Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) is to increase the pace and scale of restoration at a watershed scale and to strengthen partnerships between state, tribal, county and federal agencies to get more done across jurisdictional boundaries. Good Neighbor Authority was authorized in 2014, the first such partnership on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest was with Idaho Department of Lands in 2016 and IDL continues to be a leader in partnerships with the Forests. Congressional expansion of the authority in 2018 to include tribal and county level governments and the historic level of funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act have enabled this investment of over $30,000,000 in North-Central Idaho landscapes. Forest partners will utilize these funds to accomplish restoration goals via local contracts and projects that support the economy of forest communities.
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Idaho Department of Lands spends $24 million on fire suppression this year
KBOI2, 8-16-24
Boise, ID (CBS2) — The Idaho Department of Lands shared a state-wide fire update sharing what the cost of fires on Idaho Department of Lands property has been so far this fire season.
IDL says so far this year there have been 241 fires that have burned23,305 acres of Idaho Department of Lands property. Of those fires 100 were human-caused, 48 were undetermined, and natural causes started 93.
The IDL has spent around $24 million on fire suppression so far this year, the cost includes contracted aircraft costs and contracted engines to assist areas where resources are scarce and help with initial fire attacks.
According to the Idaho Department of Lands, there has been a total of 389,349 acres burned so far this year including private land, BLM land, Forest Service land, and other federal and state-owned land.
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Idaho Department of Lands reports over 389,000 acres burned this year
KLEW, 8-16-24
The Idaho Department of Lands has released its statewide fire update.
According to the Department, over 23,305 acres have burned under their protection.
- Total number of fires- Year to date: 241
- Human-caused: 100
- Undetermined: 48
- Natural: 93
Statewide acres burned:
- Other State Lands: 2843
- Private: 98,796
- Bureau of Land Management: 176,588
- Forest Service: 77,321
- Other Federal: 5327
- Tribe: 897
- Undetermined: 812
Total Acres: 389,349
The IDL has spent around $24 million on fire suppression so far this year, the cost includes contracted aircraft costs and contracted engines to assist areas where resources are scarce and help with initial fire attacks.
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IDL Wildfire News
Flat Fire Update for Tuesday, August 20
DailyFly, 8-20-24
Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 6
Email: 2024.flat@firenet.gov
Incident Information Phone Line: 208-923-1265 – daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Flat Fire Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IdahoDepartmentofLands
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/idids-2024-flat
Smoke Report: https://www.airnow.gov
Flat Fire Facts
Location: Approx. 1-mile northeast of Pioneerville in Boise County, Idaho
Reported: August 5, 2024
Cause: Lightning/Natural
Acres: 3,641
Containment: 14%
Personnel: 483 (11 hand crews, 12 engines, 6 water tenders, 4 dozers, 1 masticator and 5 helicopters)
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Flat fire burns 3,500 acres in Boise County
Fox28, 8-18-24
Fire crews expect dry and hot weather conditions throughout Sunday and will focus on containing the fire in the southeast.
Summit Flat Road remains closed between Pioneerville and Coulter Summit as firefighters continue to address the flames.
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Flat fire burns 3,500 acres in Boise County
KHQ, 8-18-24
PIONEERVILLE, Idaho – The Flat Fire that sparked on Aug. 5 as a result of a lightning strike has burned 3,500 acres as of Sunday morning.
According to the Idaho Department of Lands, the fire was 14% contained with 340 personnel responding to the fire over the weekend.
Summit Flat Road remains closed between Pioneerville and Coulter Summit as firefighters continue to address the flames.
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VIEW THE SOCIAL MEDIA ARCHIVE ON IDL'S WEBSITE
Flat Fire Operational Brief
Posted August 23, 2024
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Here is the #2024FlatFire Operational Brief update for August 23.
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