Before returning to Idaho to serve as the UCF program manager, I managed wildfire mitigation programs throughout California and Nevada. This background in wildland fire often informs how I provide technical assistance to our communities. The 2021 fire season in Idaho is shaping up to be a problematic one for our high-risk communities.

The relatively dry winter throughout the state resulted in record-low moisture levels in our forests and rangelands. Many of our communities are intermixed with this dry wildland and the urban canopy often abuts or is mixed with the wildland-urban interface (WUI).

The recent warmer weather is not helping matters either. The National Inter-Agency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise predicts that our summer months will most likely be warmer and drier than typical for Idaho. More info on NIFC’s weather predictive services can be found here.

Although the 2021 fire season predictions look bleak, Arborists have many tools at their disposal to help their communities prepare for wildfires. Examining your city’s open space, golf courses, or multi-use trails for flammable untreated vegetation is a good place to start. 90% of fires start due to human-caused ignitions and municipal open space areas are often prime ignition sources. Inviting wildfire mitigation specialists to review your community forestry plan and identify priority treatment projects will help your community better prepare for potential ignitions.