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IDL asks for caution with outdoor fire use |
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August 27, 2016 |
Two-thirds of fires fought by the Idaho
Department of Landsso far this year have been
caused by people, not lightning. With fire
season still in full swing and windy conditions
presenting challenges for fighting wildfires
across the state, IDL fire managers are asking
the public to be extra cautious when working or
playing in the outdoors so they do not
accidentally start a wildfire.
IDL fire managers also urge the public to
promptly report any smoke or suspected wildfires
to 9-1-1 immediately so that fires can be put
out quickly.
The main human causes of wildfires in IDL
districts statewide so far this year include
escaped campfires (even in areas under fire
restrictions where campfires are restricted);
field burns and debris burns that have escaped;
farming and logging equipment failures; and car
fires along roadways.
Ten IDL fire districts and two timber protective
associations provide wildfire protection on 6.3
million acres of mostly state- and
privately-owned timberlands, mainly in north
central and northern Idaho. A map showing the
various agencies’ protection district boundaries
is available here:
https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire/IDL-fire-protection.pdf.
As of Thursday, IDL fire managers have fought
130 fires that have burned 631 acres.
Eighty-seven of the 130 fires have been
human-caused. Human-caused fires on IDL
districts usually make up about half of the
total fires on IDL districts in a year, but with
fewer lightning-caused fires this year the
portion of human-caused fires among total fire
occurrences is greater.
The two most active State fire districts so far
this year have been the Clearwater-Potlatch
Timber Protective Association district based in
Orofino, with 27 fires that have burned 27
acres, and the IDL Maggie Creek Forest
Protective District based in Kamiah, with 16
fires that have burned 498 acres. As of
Wednesday, approximately 245,500 acres have
burned across Idaho so far this year, according
to the National Interagency Fire Center.
“We are still in the peak of fire season, and it
is critical to use caution in the outdoors and
prepare yourselves with the right equipment to
respond if you do accidentally start a fire, or
simply call 9-1-1 right away so firefighters can
arrive quickly,” State Forester David Groeschl
said. |
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