Category: All News Releases
Help with Idaho Wildfires
The Coeur d’Alene Fire Cache is looking for able bodies to assist in a team oriented environment while refurbishing firefighting equipment from recent events. Job duties include washing hose, frame tanks, boxing up supplies, loading and offloading trucks, pressure testing water handling equipment and much more.
Currently, hours are 7am – 7pm, 6 days a week, one scheduled day off per week, $16.00 an hour. Experience driving a forklift is welcomed and must have a driver license. Location: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.2020 Fire Cache Application
Apply today! Complete the application and email it to careers@idl.idaho.gov.
Five large wildfires burn at the same time
(North Idaho) Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and our partners are responding to multiple fires in northern Idaho, and high winds are creating conditions for rapid fire growth.
Hunter 2 Fire: The fire is 1/2 mile northeast of Blanchard near the junction of Hunter Road and Highway 41. The fire has grown to approximately 500 acres and has crossed Highway 41 to the Stoneridge Golf Course area. Two large air tankers are helping to fight the fire as conditions allow.
Evacuations are being handled by the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office and are in place for the area of Blanchard Elk Road and Stone Road. Residents are being asked to prepare to evacuate the area. Additional resources have been ordered, including a Type 3 Incident Management Team.
Sunnyside Complex: This complex covers the Clover Fire and the MM 49 Fire. The Clover Fire, which is burning outside of Orofino is over 500 acres. Structures are threatened and some structures have burned. The fire started early this afternoon. The Clover Fire is west of the Whitetail Loop Fire, which was contained last week. The Clover Fire is about 4-5 miles long. The nearby MM 49 Fire is burning at 100 acres. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered for the Sunnyside Complex.
Dusty Fire: Evacuations remain in place for the Dusty Fire at Dusty Lane subdivision south of the town of Emida. The fire is currently 15 acres with heavy equipment on the scene. Air resources will be used when the weather allows.
Cliff Fire: Fire burning at Heyburn State Park. Size is 22 acres. Fire crews have succeeded in putting a dozer line around the fire. The Coeur d’Alene Tribe has closed the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes from the Plummer trailhead to the Heyburn State Park trailhead. The bike path inside the park is closed as well. People are asked to stay away from the area.
Challenges: In addition to the challenges posed by high winds causing extreme fire behavior, resources are limited because of the high demand for resources nationally. Also, aircraft use is limited in firefighting efforts during such windy conditions.
Evacuations: Local sheriff’s offices handle evacuations. Please contact your local sheriff for the latest. We will provide evacuation information as it becomes available.
Media Contact:
Robbie Johnson
Public Information Officer
Idaho Department of Lands
208-334-0233, fireinformation@idl.idaho.gov
About IDL Fire: 10 Idaho Department of Lands Forest Protective Districts and two timber protective associations are responsible for fire prevention and protection on more than 6 million acres of state and private forests and rangelands in Idaho. IDL fire suppression efforts focus on initial attack. The work of the IDL fire management program helps protect and preserve important endowment timber assets as well as millions of acres of private forestland. The program also enhances forest and rangeland management on state endowment trust lands and protects local communities from wildfire by reducing fuels.
Do You Know Where Your Roots Are?
The myth still exists that a tree’s roots are a mirror image of its crown. This is not only far from the truth, it is also dangerous to tree health. In reality, the life-giving roots are usually:
- Spreading to a distance of 1- to 2-times the height of the tree
- Growing within about 2 feet of the surface
So, give ‘em room! Remember where they are at when you dig a trench, pave, or change the soil grade. Also, when planting street trees, use a search engine to find out how Silva Cells or C-U Structural Soil can give tree roots a place to safely grow.
Demand Diversity
By Gerry Bates
South Idaho Community Forestry Assistant
As I travel around the southern end of our great state, I get the chance to work with a lot of good people who are trying to establish long lasting legacies called trees within their cities. These legacies not only provide shade and beauty, but myriad other benefits that make them essential elements of the infrastructure in our cities. And, unlike most infrastructure that offers the most benefit directly after installation, tree benefits increase over time. They don’t (or should not!) be engineered to have a 30-year life span and then require replacement.
However, there’s a problem. All too often, we accept that the local nursery, or the regional plant wholesaler, has only a limited pallet of plant material to offer. A visit to the local tree farm allows us to see Colorado spruce planted from fencepost to fencepost, or quaking aspen and green ash offered as the best and most viable options for our planting projects. Folks, please don’t put all your eggs in one basket and continue planting a monoculture of trees that, when the right insect or disease comes along, devastates a significant percentage of the trees in your town.
We won’t get change in the marketplace unless we demand it. Start small, be consistent and request trees that aren’t overused in your city. Serbian spruce or concolor fir are great replacements for Colorado spruce. Black Hills spruce also deserves more attention. Instead of ponderosa or Austrian pine, use something else. Anything is better than aspen. If we ask for plant material that isn’t as common, eventually our plant providers are going to work to fill the need. Besides being fantastic tree huggers, they are business people; they will work to make their customers happy. If not, expand your sources for plant material. The Idaho Nursery and Landscape Association has a list of vendors on their website that offer a wide variety of trees and shrubs.
Finally, there are new cultivars becoming available all the time. There are new varieties of elm that are disease resistant and will still provide the benefits that the old American elm did years ago. There are a bunch of oaks that are underutilized. In southeastern Idaho, where I live, we didn’t used to plant many oaks. That is changing fast. When planning a project, plan for longevity and diversity. Rely on your Community Forestry Assistants for help and advice. Most importantly, plant the right tree in the right place. That’s an often overused euphemism, but from what I see, it is still often overlooked.
Be a Bee City!
According to Peter Kageyama, author of the topselling book, For the Love of Cities, people know that on a deeper level, flowers, trees, parks, gardens, and greenspaces represent necessary elements to making places actually livable. A city without trees and gardens is not a city that anyone would want to live in.
These green elements are part of the essential INFRASTRUCTURE of our places. Yet unlike the obvious infrastructure such as roads, bridges and power grids, these green elements evoke a deeper physiological and emotional response. Think of the calm we feel in a park or the sense of wellness from a walk along a trail. This is called “biophilia” – the innate tendency of human beings to seek out and connect with nature and it is hardwired into us.
There are many ways to make Idaho’s cities more livable places. In Garden City, a dedicated cadre of volunteers had an idea for the project but with no backing. Judy Snow and her husband are members of the Chinden Gardener’s Club and just started talking to people about the possibility of developing a demonstration garden and becoming members of a larger organization and promoting healthy living through beautiful gardens. The club found grants and support from charitable organizations, won the support of Mayor Evans and the city council, and brought their idea to fruition. The idea was born to become a Bee City USA.
One in every three bites of food we eat is courtesy of insect pollination. Equally important, 90% of all wild plants and trees rely on pollinators for the survival of their species. Not surprisingly, in 2007 when honey bee colonies started disappearing, beekeepers and non-beekeepers alike became very concerned. While less is known about native wild bees and other pollinators, we do know that entire species are disappearing at alarming rates due to the same enemies as honey bees – loss of habitat essential for food and shelter, diseases and parasites, and inappropriate pesticide use.
There are requirements to be a Bee City USA, just as there are in the Tree City USA program that is supported by the Idaho Community Forestry Program. Both programs have an end goal of making communities better places in which to live, work and recreate. And, neither program would be successful without the spirit of volunteerism that seems prevalent in Idaho cities.
Whitetail Loop Fire burns down home, structure
8/31/2020 8:00am update
Fire is more than 300 Acres in size.
5 crews are currently working on the fire. Crews worked through the night. Type 3 team is taking over today at 10 am. Current levels of high humidity hopes to give firefighters an edge today. NEW HOPE is NOT threatened at this time. Fire is moving in the opposite direction.
(Orofino, Idaho) – A rapidly growing 50-acre fire is threatening structures and has already burned down two structures near the town of Orofino. The Clearwater Sheriff’s Office is evacuating some areas.
Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association (CPTPA), the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and rural fire are battling the Whitetail Loop Fire, on narrow roads and in steep terrain. The crews are currently trying to establish a division structure to organize and gain more resources to get a handle on the fire. A Type 3 team has been called in to assist.
A helitack crew, multiple engines and air support are currently on scene fighting the fire.
For evacuation information call the Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office (208-476-4521). Report all wildfires to the Grangeville Interagency Dispatch Center (208-983-6800) or call 911.
For more information about the Whitetail Loop Fire, please contact the Idaho Department of Lands Fire Information Line at (208) 334-0233.
The fire was reported August 30 at approximately 4 P.M.
# # #
Media contact: Marin Sanborn, 208-334-0233, fireinformation@idl.idaho.gov
About IDL Fire: 10 Idaho Department of Lands Forest Protective Districts and two timber protective associations are responsible for fire prevention and protection on more than 6 million acres of state and private forests and rangelands in Idaho. IDL fire suppression efforts focus on initial attack. The work of the IDL fire management program helps protect and preserve important endowment timber assets as well as millions of acres of private forestland. The program also enhances forest and rangeland management on state endowment trust lands by utilizing fire as a management tool, and protects local communities from wildfire by reducing fuels.
Sunday Copeland Fire update near McCall
The Copeland Fire is 10 percent contained, and crews continue to limit fire spread by keeping it in place over the 91-acre fire area. The fire activity in this forested location is moderate with mostly smoldering and isolated flames. However, there is still the chance of fire growth.
There is smoke around McCall, but it is mostly from fires in California. The smoke cover has helped moderate fire activity on the Copeland Fire.
Crews are working on full perimeter control. Current crews on the fire will be maintained to keep the fire from moving into continuous timber and becoming a long-duration event. Resources engaged in suppression actions include aircraft, engines, a dozer, and 220 firefighters. There is a local Type 3 Incident Management Team on the fire.
The fire is on Idaho endowment land approximately 5 miles east of McCall. No structures are threatened, but it is a popular recreation area. The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) continues to urge the public to be aware of and avoid the Copeland Fire area.
Boulder Lake Road is currently closed due to the danger of the fire, firefighter traffic, and aircraft dropping water and retardant. Please do not access these areas from Potter Lane, Paddy Flat Road, or other endowment, public, or private accesses, as this creates a safety issue for both the public and our firefighters.
For more information, visit InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7024/
##
Media Contact
Robbie Johnson, Idaho Department of Lands PIO
(208) 908-1786, pio@idl.idaho.gov
Copeland Fire Update
(McCall) – Crews continue to work on limiting the spread of the Copeland Fire, and are keeping it in place over the 91-acre fire area. But they continue to be prepared for a possible increase in fire behavior in this forested area on Idaho endowment land approximately 5 miles east of McCall.
Additional ground crews are arriving today to assist. Crews are gaining on the fire line but are in tough country. Cooler weather conditions are forecast today with a chance of a few wind gusts this afternoon. Dry conditions are expected into Tuesday.
The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) continues to urge the public to be aware of and avoid the Copeland Fire area. No structures are threatened, but it is a popular recreation area. Boulder Lake Road is currently closed due to the danger of the fire, firefighter traffic, and aircraft dropping water and retardant.
Please do not access these areas from Potter Lane, Paddy Flat Road, or other endowment, public, or private accesses, as this creates a safety issue for both the public and our firefighters.
Resources engaged in active suppression actions include aircraft, engines, a dozer, and 220 firefighters. There is a local Type 3 Incident Management Team on the fire.
For more information, visit InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7024/
##
Media Contact
Robbie Johnson, Idaho Department of Lands PIO
(208) 908-1786, pio@idl.idaho.gov
Closures near Copeland Fire for public safety
(McCall) – The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) is urging the public to be aware of and avoid the area near the Copeland Fire, burning approximately 5 miles east of McCall on Idaho Endowment Land. It is 90 acres in size.
Boulder Lake Road is currently closed, and all recreationists are urged to avoid this area due to the danger of the fire, firefighter traffic, and aircraft dropping water and retardant. Please do not access these areas from Potter Lane, Paddy Flat Road, or other endowment, public, or private accesses, as this creates a safety issue for both the public and our firefighters.
Resources engaged in active suppression actions include multiple helicopters, three engines, two dozers, and 140 firefighters including two hotshot crews. There is a local Type 3 Incident Management Team on the fire.
Cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity made for moderate fire activity overnight and has allowed firefighters to gain ground, but a warming trend is forecasted through the weekend.
For more information, visit InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7024/
##
Media Contact
Robbie Johnson, Idaho Department of Lands PIO
(208) 908-1786, pio@idl.idaho.gov
Transfer Fire reaches 200 yards from nearest home; aggressive initial attack prevented structure damage
(Grangeville, Idaho) – The Transfer Fire is holding at roughly 40 acres after it was first reported about 9 p.m. Pacific Time on August 17 about 6 miles east of Grangeville. The fire started off the Mount Idaho Grade Road in steep terrain with mature timber. The first priority was to prevent the fire from going up toward homes and from heading down and crossing the South Fork Clearwater River.
The initial fire attack was handled by USDA Forest Service fire crews who assisted the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), the agency now managing the fire.
While the fire did head uphill in the initial stages, it did not reach homes and there were no evacuations, although residents were told to be prepared. The fire was as close as 200 yards away from the closest home. As many as 50 homes were immediately threatened by the rapidly-moving fire. Today, the risk to homes has greatly decreased and is considered unlikely.
The fire was kept small thanks to the assistance from the Forest Service and the emphasis on aggressive use of aircraft on the fire initially. As many as 5 aircraft were in the air at the same time, including fixed-wing aircraft dropping fire retardant, and large helicopters dropping water during the fire’s peak yesterday.
Today at least 100 fire crew members are on the fire, mainly digging fire line, with the help of a bulldozer. Aircraft are not necessary. Hose has been laid around the perimeter, with the ability to spray water every 100 feet. This has brought fire containment to 20 percent and assurance to residents that there is no need to evacuate at this time. IDL is working with residents and the community to spread the word about the fire and will provide news of any status changes that may potentially bring new threats to homes. Right now there are no large flames visible from the fire, and it is not moving outside of the 40 acres.
##
Media Contact
Robbie Johnson, Idaho Department of Lands PIO
(208) 908-1786, rjohnson@idl.idaho.gov