Weekly Fire Update
As of Monday, September 3, 2024, IDL has spent a total of approximately $39.7 million on fire suppression activities. Approximately $3.5 million of that is reimbursable to IDL for assisting other agencies on their fires, leaving a total estimated net obligation to the General Fund of $36 million so far this year.
 As of Friday, 9-6-24
IDL Hosts NASTL Conference in Coeur d'Alene
In late August, the Idaho Department of Lands hosted the annual meeting of the National Association of State Trust Lands (NASTL) in Coeur d'Alene. NASTL, a non-profit consortium, includes administrators from 21 western states managing over 500 million acres of school trust lands.
The annual meeting is a platform for member states and affiliates to exchange ideas, address challenges in endowment land management, explore opportunities, and establish association policies.
This year, the spotlight was on timber and forest management, with IDL showcasing its timber program. In addition to a presentation from Jim Elbin on the IDL endowment timber program, attendees also heard a presentation from the Idaho Forest Group (IFG) and toured IFG’s state-of-the-art Chilco mill near Athol.
Additionally, attendees got a first-hand tutorial on endowment forest management from staff from the Pend Oreille Lakes Area Office at a nearby state timber sale.
Photo by Amber Mitchell, showing attendees gathered after touring the Chilco Mill.
Capital for a Day in Priest River
On Thursday, August 29, Director Dustin Miller, Dan Brown from the Priest Lake Supervisory Area, and Erik Sjoquist from the Pend Oreille Lake Supervisory Area joined Governor Little and other agencies at the "Capital for a Day" event in Priest River. Governor Little hosts these events throughout the year to bring state government leaders and discussions to predominantly rural areas.
A significant portion of the discussion in Priest River centered on the public schools within the West Bonner School District. Superintendent of Public Schools Debbie Critchfield attended to address and discuss local concerns.
At the meeting Governor Little commended the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) for their achievements in advancing the endowment mission of generating revenue for public schools. He also praised the department's effective wildfire suppression efforts over the summer. Additionally, the Governor took the opportunity to explain the purpose and benefits of the endowment fund to attendees.
Idaho Department of Lands Auctions Five Payette Lake Lots for $6,013,000
The Idaho Department of Lands held a Voluntary Auction for Fee Ownership for six cottage sites at Payette Lake. Five lots were sold at the auction, generating over $6 million—$1,362,000 above the appraised value.
Among the properties sold, three experienced competitive bidding, while two received only a single bid. The competitive bidding led to a 29% overall increase above the appraised value.
To date, 488 cottage sites have been sold: 161 lots at Payette Lake (134 leased and 27 unleased) and 329 lots at Priest Lake (304 leased and 25 unleased), generating a total of $265,717,625 for the endowments. Currently, 13 leased lots remain at Payette Lake, and 30 leased lots remain at Priest Lake.
News Conference Introduces 10 Priorities to Reduce Impacts of Wildfire
The Idaho Department of Lands assisted Governor Little with a news conference on August 23 to introduce his new report outlining ten priorities for reducing the impacts of wildfires in Idaho.
IDL participated in the Governor’s Wildfire Roundtable, which brought together industry leaders to discuss liability reform for utilities and insurers, wildfire mitigation strategies, and statewide communication efforts. Four workgroups were formed to address specific issues, with Director Miller co-chairing one of the groups. IDL staff were actively involved in many of the other committees.
During the event, Director Miller spoke about how the report will help Idaho adapt to its changing landscape. He emphasized the importance of reducing wildfire impacts through continued fuel reduction efforts, expanding fire response capacity through partnerships, and utilizing new technology to fight wildfires more efficiently.
IDL's Teakean Crew and engines were prepositioned in Boise while awaiting their next assignment, allowing them to attend and support the Governor. The Director expressed deep appreciation for the hard work and professionalism of the firefighters. The Governor also commended the crews for their efforts in quickly and safely suppressing many fires that often go unnoticed by the public.
 photo by Robbie Johnson
 photo by Robbie Johnson
Senator Risch Staff Field Visits
Senator Jim Risch’s D.C. staff recently traveled to Idaho, joining their State Natural Resources Director, Idaho Department of Lands staff, and representatives from the U.S. Forest Service for a series of field visits. These visits included a tour of two Good Neighbor Authority timber sales located northwest of McCall. The GNA initiative, which leverages federal-state partnerships, aims to accelerate the pace and scale of active forest management and restoration on federal lands while supporting local economies. By observing these operations firsthand, the staff gained valuable insights into the practical applications and impacts of these programs on Idaho's federal forests.
In addition to the GNA timber sales, the Senator’s staff toured the Incident Command Post (ICP) for the Middle Fork Complex in Garden Valley and the Flat Fire area near Pioneerville. These field visits provided an in-depth look at the ongoing wildfire suppression efforts by the Forest Service and IDL. Engaging directly with both agencies allowed the staff to better understand the challenges and successes of managing an active fire season and reinforced the importance of coordinated efforts between federal and state agencies in wildfire suppression in Idaho.
 GNA timber sale visit with Sen. Risch's staff - photo by Dustin Miller
In Case You Missed It
Here's a recap of other recent IDL newsletters you may find interesting:
One Team One Voice Newsletter Archive
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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