By Sven Berg
The Idaho Falls Post Register
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — Federal fire officials say they’re worried back-to-back mild fire years in eastern Idaho have allowed the public to feel more complacent when it comes to outdoor fire safety.
In fact, this is an especially bad time to become lax about fire precautions, said Sarah Wheeler, a spokeswoman for the Eastern Idaho Interagency Fire Center. Extended forecasts predict a hot, dry summer in eastern Idaho — exactly the type of weather that creates perfect conditions for fires. All that’s needed is a spark — lightning, a firecracker, or a blown tire and a rim grinding on pavement — to start a blaze.
On top of that, the surprising lack of fire over the past two years here has allowed dead grass, brush and other fuels to accumulate, meaning small events can quickly turn into major fires that swallow thousands of acres.
Both the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are in the process of hiring and training firefighters for the summer months. Ultimately, they expect about 100 firefighters to be assigned to public land in eastern Idaho.
For the summer’s early months, fire officials say eastern Idaho’s many grassy, high-desert areas are the mostly likely to see fire.
“Between now and the first of August, that’s pretty much the main concern — the desert,” said Lynn Ballard, also a spokesman for the fire center.
As the weather warms and the snowpack finishes melting, timber stands in high elevations will be at greater risk, Ballard said.
Fire experts are also anxiously watching as the number of homes in rural areas increases. Some rural homes are outside of fire protection districts, so their owners could be forced to foot the bill if fire protection services are necessary to save the homes.
This phenomenon isn’t just restricted to vacation cabins in places such as Island Park. Many homes in new housing developments in the Ammon foothills haven’t been included in fire protection districts, though local fire departments and agencies such as the Forest Service and BLM are working to resolve the issue, Wheeler said.
How homeowners can protect themselves and their homes
To protect homes near the edge of public land from wildfires, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service suggest homeowners take the following steps:
Reduce surrounding wildland fuels, such as rotting logs, branches, brush and other flammable materials.
Do an exterior home inspection at least once a year before summer.
Remove overhanging tree limbs, moss and needles from roofs and gutters.
Clean chimneys and stove pipes. Check screens.
Keep storage areas clean. Store flammable liquids in approved containers.
A large, green lawn surrounding the house is ideal for minimizing fire risk. Remove highly flammable plants and nearby heavy ground vegetation and stumps.
Stack firewood away from the house.
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