By Matthew Evans
Idaho Falls Post Register (Idaho)
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — Eastern Idaho is a tinderbox, just in time for Labor Day.
An errant cigarette or ember from an unattended campfire could easily spark a blaze capable of scorching thousands of acres in a couple of hours.
That has fire officials with the Bureau of Land Management, the Salmon-Challis National Forest and Grand Teton National Park concerned.
With about a month to go, the fire season’s been relatively quiet.
The average season starts in July, runs through the end of September and brings 155 fires on almost 66,000 acres.
This year, we’ve seen 62 fires char approximately 15,000 acres.
The situation’s the same in the Salmon-Challis forest.
""I’ve been fire information officer with the Salmon-Challis National Forest for 18 years, and this is the lowest-intensity fire season we’ve had,"" Kent Fuellenbach said.
Humans caused 82 percent of the fires this year in eastern Idaho, however — nearly double the average.
It’s not that people have been careless — though a fire that campers left smoldering sparked a blaze in Bingham County earlier this month, and a car caused one that threatened homes in the foothills outside of Ammon — but that lightning-caused fires are down.
""We haven’t had the lightning fires we normally receive,"" the BLM’s Joanna Wilson said.
The number of human-caused fires has caused concern among Wilson and her peers, though, especially because the weather is turning colder and more people are expected to camp this weekend. That means more campfires and increased potential for trouble, Wilson said.
The driest areas in eastern Idaho are near Island Park, she said, but the desert’s drying out, too.
""The grasses may look green, but they’re actually very dry,"" Wilson said.
Fuellenbach agrees.
""That’s why I keep knocking on wood,"" he said. ""If we got a little wind and some lightning, we could have some big fires.""
With that in mind, here are a few tips to ensure you don’t cause serious problems during the holiday weekend:
Extinguish your campfire, and don’t leave campfires unattended.
Don’t drive on tall grass or brush. Vehicle exhaust systems can reach temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees and ignite grasses and shrubs.
Be careful if you plan to burn any debris or agricultural waste.
All off-highway vehicles must have spark arrestors approved by the U.S. Forest Service. Make sure yours is clean before you head out.
Carry a shovel and fire extinguisher in your vehicle.
There are a few fires burning in eastern Idaho. Here’s a look:
An investigation continues into the cause of the Meadow Creek Fire, which scorched nearly 1,000 acres near Ririe Reservoir in a few hours Tuesday afternoon. Steep terrain and wind hindered efforts to contain the fire, though that was accomplished Wednesday.
The Flag Knoll Fire has burned 520 acres since lightning sparked it in mid-July. It’s being allowed to burn to benefit the natural resources in the area, about 12 miles south of Swan Valley. No trails or roads are affected.
The Willow Fire has charred nearly 3,500 acres west of Island Park since lightning ignited it in mid-July. It, too, is being allowed to burn for the benefit of the area’s natural resources. Thirty-five firefighters are managing the blaze, which has closed a chunk of national forestland.
The Waterfall Fire continues to smolder near the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. No trails or float trips are affected by the blaze, which has remained at 134 acres for a couple of weeks.
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