Current News Coverage
IDL Reminds Waterfront Buyers and Sellers to Review Encroachment Permits Before Closing
Big Country News, 8-27-26
BOISE – As summer comes to an end, waterfront properties often change hands. At the same time, the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) receives an increase in requests to assign encroachment permits, most commonly permits for docks.
To avoid unnecessary delays, buyers and sellers should review a property’s encroachment permits before closing. Identifying potential issues early gives property owners more time and options to resolve them.
When waterfront property is sold, existing encroachment permits stay with the parcel. However, the permit must be formally assigned to the new owner. Before a permit can be assigned, the property must be in compliance with the permit.
Read Big Country article
Fire and Fall Hunting: What Idaho hunters need to know
St. Maries Gazette Record, 8-26-26
As wildfire activity continues across Idaho, hunters preparing for upcoming seasons should be aware of potential impacts to their hunting areas and know what options are available if a fire affects their hunt.
Idaho Fish and Game is monitoring wildfire activity. The department may temporarily close Fish and Game-owned lands when necessary or coordinate with other state and federal agencies — Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and Idaho Department of Lands — to protect public safety or support firefighting operations. Hunters should stay informed about closures and restrictions in the areas where they plan to hunt by watching for updates and press releases from their local Fish and Game region.
Read Gazette article
Idaho Land Board is ignoring Smokey the Bear
Idaho Mountain Express, 8-26-26
How much does it cost to put up a sign? How much does it cost to issue a ban on outdoor shooting during fire season?
The answer is easy. These measures cost far less than fighting even a small wildfire.
But never mind. The board that governs the Idaho Department of Lands seems unwilling to do what’s necessary to prevent human-caused wildfires that may start on state-owned lands.
Read Idaho Mountain Express editorial
State salvages 1,000+ acres of timber in Valley County
Valley Lookout, 8-26-26
More than 1,000 acres of timber in Valley County will be salvaged following damage caused in a Memorial Day windstorm, according to the Idaho Department of Lands.
The lands department recently announced six timber sales that cover a total of 1,362 acres and are expected to yield more than 5 million board feet of lumber from trees that were uprooted or snapped in wind gusts of up to 60mph during the May 25 storm.
The timber sales will return value to public schools and state hospitals, the prime beneficiaries of state endowment lands, while also reducing the risk of disease and bug infestations, according to IDL.
Valley Lookout Newsletter
8-26-26
Drew Dodson here with this week’s edition of the Valley Lookout newsletter. One of the first stories I covered when I moved to McCall was about a lease the Idaho Department of Lands approved for an event venue fronting Payette Lake along Eastside Drive. The proposal did not call for any permanent structures or infrastructure that could not be removed at the end of the lease, but the neighbors were blindsided by the plan when site work began in earnest.
The neighbors lawyered up and took their case to the State Land Board in 2019. They argued that the lands department could not have satisfied its constitutional obligation to maximize profits from endowment lands because even those living closest to the property had no idea the property was available for lease. If the neighbors did not know, they argued, then how could the state be sure there weren’t more profitable opportunities for the land?
The land board agreed. The lease was rescinded, the state paid a considerable settlement to the lessee, the event center never came to fruition, and the lands department was directed to revamp its public noticing process to avoid the same problem in the future. Seven years later, a similar situation is unfolding with a lease for a gravel pit in McCall. Not only does history repeat itself, but it also has sequels.
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‘We can’t lose sight of the public’: State to start over on McCall gravel pit lease
Valley Lookout, 8-24-26
A lease that would reopen a gravel pit in McCall was voided last week amid concerns that neighbors were left in the dark on the proposal.
Last week, the State Board of Land Commissioners chose not to approve a 10-year lease for a 41-acre parcel of endowment land along Warren Wagon Road near Crescent Rim Drive.
“I’m not predisposed for or against it,” Secretary of State Phil McGrane said. “But the communication along this particular lease has been challenging.”
Read Valley Lookout article
Land Board says ‘no’ to Warren Wagon gravel pit, for now – IDL directed to update public notice policy
Star-News, 8-20-26
A lease for a gravel pit off of Warren Wagon Road was not approved by the Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners on Tuesday, following concerns about public notices for the proposal.
The board plans to reevaluate and redo the lease advertising process and could consider other uses for the 41-acre property in the future.
IDL Division Administrator Jim Elbin told the board that any other lease or use of the area would require that the pit be reclaimed, likely at the state’s expense.
Because of that requirement, Elbin said a recreational lease or other use was unlikely.
Read Star-News article
Opinion: Idaho must keep investing in fire prevention, management and suppression
The News-Examiner, 8-20-26
- REP. BRITT RAYBOULD | Guest columnist
Earlier this summer, three firefighters were killed, and two more were injured in a blaze along the Colorado-Utah border. Earlier this month, two pilots were lost in a helicopter crash over a large Utah fire. We’re in a wildfire season that’s exceeding 10-year averages, and there are still many weeks to go until the first snowfall.
By mid-August, 49,418 fires burned more than 7.4 million acres in the United States. Over 2.4 million of those acres burned by May 31. We won’t know the total financial cost of fighting the fires or the property losses for months. But the annual price tag will easily surpass the 10-year average of $3.4 billion. This year, officials requested over $6 billion for the federal wildland budget.
These fires are complicated and often in difficult-to-reach locations that require specialized crews and equipment. The more fires, the fewer frontline personnel available to send to all these hotspots. As part of coordinated efforts in the state, Idaho relies on Timber and Forest Protective Associations, funded by forest landowners and operators. The Clearwater-Potlatch TPA protects almost 1 million acres across federal, state, and private land.
Read Rep Rayboulds opinion
Wildfire Coverage
Mile Marker 320 Fire on US95 Current as of 4:00 PM PT
Big Country News, 8-27-26
LEWISTON— The Mile Marker 320 Fire is burning off U.S. Highway 95 in the Hatway Drainage near Lewiston. The fire is currently estimated at 80 acres and 0% contained. Approximately 15 structures are threatened, but there are no evacuations at this time.
Approximately 80 personnel are assigned to the fire, including two crews and eight engines. Air resources include air attack, helicopters and two single-engine air tankers. The Nez Perce Tribe, U.S. Forest Service and Genese Rural Fire Department are assisting with the response.
U.S. Highway 95 is partially closed near mile marker 320. Motorists traveling through the area should watch for signs and traffic restrictions.
Read Big Country article
Mile Marker 320 Fire Grows to 80 Acres Near Lewiston Hill
DailyFly, 8-27-26
LEWISTON, ID – The Mile Marker 320 Fire has grown to an estimated 80 acres in the Hatwai drainage near U.S. Highway 95 and was 0% contained Thursday afternoon, according to the Idaho Department of Lands.
Approximately 15 structures are threatened. The Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office has issued a “Ready” evacuation notice for the area, but no evacuation order is in effect.
The “Ready” area includes U.S. Highway 95 from milepost 317 to Evans Road, east along Evans Road to Archibald Road and back to U.S. 95 at milepost 317. Residents should prepare to evacuate if conditions worsen by gathering medications, identification, important documents and essential supplies and making arrangements for pets and livestock.
Read DailyFly article
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