Galbreath receives new home to replace one lost in fire

Submitted by Shelley Ponozzo

The WUNCCIL (Wildfire Long Term Recovery for Unmet Needs Group for Clearwater, Idaho, and Lewis Counties) group held a dedication for a new home recently completed in the Upper Fords Creek area above Orofino. This area was one of the harder hit during the 2015 Municipal Fire in Clearwater County.

Dave Hasz, Chairman for the WUNCCIL Group opened the Dedication by thanking the Clearwater County Commissioner’s for waiving the County building fees and other assistance they provided in helping to make this new home a reality. Hasz presented the new home owner, Scott Galbreath with a Certificate of Occupancy from Clearwater County for his new home. 

Denise Bacon, Galbreath’s Case Manager for the WUNCCIL Group introduced Scott Galbreath and explained what he had to overcome with regards to the fires. Galbreath, a veteran, would have preferred being on his property to help fight the fires last August, but due to medical reasons and surgery, he was in the hospital. 

A family member and friends rushed to his property, but his home was already burning and a complete loss. They continued to hose down other out buildings to save what they could. John Eshleman, Region IV Board Chairman for the Mennonite Disaster Service presented Scott with a handmade quilt as a house warming gift. In addition, the Kamiah Quilters Guild gave two handmade quilts to Scott, for him and his daughter, to stay warm on cold nights.

Dave Hasz thanked Wade Gayler, Red Cross Senior Disaster Program Manager for the Idaho/Montana Region for all of his assistance this last year and for the funding of approximately $158,900 from the American Red Cross to assist those affected by the fires and help build two homes in Idaho County and one home in Clearwater County. 

Gayler stated “the contributions to the Red Cross came from Orofino, Kamiah, Lewiston, around the region and across the nation, to help this area rebuild and make this day possible. He is honored to represent the Red Cross at this day of celebration and to help dedicate this new home.”

The WUNCCIL Group wanted to thank and somehow show their appreciation to John Eshleman, Region IV Board Chairman and the Mennonite Disaster Service, for coming into our communities to provide their talent and expertise in rebuilding homes lost during last summer’s fires.

Hasz presented a plaque to Eshleman and the Mennonite Disaster Service. Words can fail us in trying to thank and describe how much the Mennonite Disaster Service provided to the Clearwater, Idaho and Lewis County area. Eshleman named the different project managers and their teams that came into this area to volunteer their time, thanking them. Harold Miller was the MDS Project Director for the home being dedicated that day.

Michele WhiteEagle performed the pastoral duties by closing the Dedication in prayer.

Prescribed fire aims to reduce fire risk, improve elk habitat

Weather conditions permitting, fire managers plan to begin prescribed fire operations next week in the Barnard Junction and Moose Kelly project areas of the North Fork Ranger District. 

The planned area has remained relatively untouched by fire for almost a century. Applying fire in a controlled manner will reduce the risk of future catastrophic wildfires and provide better forage for declining elk herds and other wildlife species.

The prescribed burn has been scheduled to take advantage of the narrow window of opportunity for prescribed fire treatment available, as the area receives 30 to 60 inches of rain annually, and is compared to an inland rainforest.

The fire will be allowed to move and spread within the units until precipitation from a season-ending weather event occurs. Units targeted for treatment range from 150 acres to 2,050 acres.

Not every acre will burn, but the entire area will benefit from the increased vegetative diversity created by the managed fire. 

After fire managers perform a test burn, a helicopter, utilizing aerial ignition, will drop hundreds of chemical-filled plastic spheres that look like ping-pong balls onto ridges with stands of dead and dying timber in the target area. A chemical reaction causes the spheres to ignite on the ground and smolder until they light vegetation.

By varying the proportions of the chemical mix and the number of spheres dropped, fire managers can control the speed of ignition and the intensity of the prescribed fire. The fire will then be allowed to back downslope into wet drainages, reducing fire intensity. 

The targeted prescribed fire area burned during the historic 1910 and 1919 fires. Decades of fire suppression has left the area heavily forested with lodgepole pine and many of the trees in the area are dying from infestations of mountain pine beetle. Reducing the amount of available fuels aids in the reduction of potentially large, high intensity wildfires.

Thick tree canopies have prevented growth of forage required by big-game animals. The result has been an adverse effect of elk habitat in the area and elk populations dropping drastically over the past quarter century. Many plants respond favorably to fire and new growth will provide forage for wildlife.

Residents of Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley are likely to see smoke from the burn. Prescribed fire produces smoke, but the smoke is typically short-lived and managed to minimize impacts to communities.

Prescribed fire and other fuels treatments help to reduce the severity of wildfires and minimize adverse smoke impacts on public health and safety.

Over the next several weeks, the forest is planning several other prescribed fire projects in the North Fork and Lochsa/Powell Ranger Districts to reduce fuels and restore characteristics of a fire-adapted ecosystem. Prescribed fire treatments have not been implemented in these wetter areas since 2011.

Planned treatment areas are located within remote, roadless areas or areas with very limited road access. Staggering the prescribed fire treatments through the late fall reduces smoke impacts to local communities.

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests continues response to 2015 fires

Personnel on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, regulatory agencies, and partners, continue to work together to provide visitors with safe access and restore the land and infrastructure affected by the 2015 fires.

Continued activities include Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER), working with partners to address needs on non-forest system lands, hazard tree removal along roads, administrative and recreation sites, and salvage of dead and dying trees.

In the summer of 2015, the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests had over 250 fires. Over 25 of those fires were large incidents and total acres burned was in excess of 192,000.

Forest personnel addressed the needs of each fire independently, and continue to address post-fire and landscape needs with the same rationale. 

Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams arrived on forest and began to assess emergency needs within fire perimeters as the fires were still burning. The result of this critical work was a request and the receipt of $1.1 million to do emergency repair work caused by the fires. 

The BAER assessments do not include long-term restoration needs on the landscape. The BAER recommendations are time-sensitive and forest personnel have been working on these projects since the fall of 2015 and continue to implement emergency repair work.

Potential threats to visitors and agency personnel include flooding and debris flows, hazard trees, and rock fall along trails and at trailheads, developed recreation sites, and dispersed areas that are within, downstream or downslope of burned areas.

The projects include culvert replacements, emergency hazard tree removal at campgrounds and other areas, and invasive plant control. Implementation of this work may cause short-term closures in campgrounds and along roads and trails, but will ultimately provide forest visitors long-term access. 

Forest personnel are active members of the North Central Idaho Wildfire Restoration Group (NCIWRG), previously called the North Idaho Wildfire Response Group.

The group was formed as the smoke began to clear and multiple agencies recognized the need to come together collectively and address the landscape affected by fire in an “all lands” approach. Work continues as agencies compile information on post-fire restoration needs in the five-county area. 

In May, the group hosted a workshop for the public entitled, “Life After the Fires: Living for Today, Planning for Tomorrow.” Information on creating fire-wise communities, post-fire restoration needs and opportunities identified by NCIWRG’s Technical Committee, and a presentation by Dr. Penny Morgan from the University of Idaho on Past, Present, and Future Fires was provided to private landowners in attendance. 

In addition to the active participation of forest personnel, the forest helped sponsor the event.

Throughout the late fall of 2015 and into the Spring of 2016, the forest has proposed and sought public comment on a variety of projects which include addressing hazard tree removal along certain roads, administrative sites, recreation sites, salvage of burned trees, and removal of dead and dying trees affected by insects, disease, fire, or a combination of conditions. 

Forest personnel continue to evaluate and modify our projects as necessary with respect to public comments, additional data collection, and new analyses.

The Roadside, Administrative, and Recreation Site Maintenance hazard tree removal, Woodrat, and Upper Lolo draft Environmental Assessments (EA) have been available on the forest website at http://prdp2fs.ess.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/projects/nezperceclearwater/landmanagement/projects?sortby=0&archive=0 for public review and comment since May 7, 2016. To date, general comments from two entities have been received. Below is a summary of proposed projects and their current status:

In response to public comments received, the Lost Hat/Snowy Summit decision has been rescinded and we will be incorporating this project, along with portions of the Roadside, Administrative, and Recreation Site Maintenance hazard tree removal project that are not immediate safety and infrastructure hazards, into the proposed Upper Lolo Environmental Assessment project.

The Upper Lolo project encompasses a cluster of fires that burned in the tributaries to Lolo Creek, east of Pierce and Weippe. The previously submitted Emergency Situation Determination request for the Upper Lolo project will be withdrawn and the proposed action will be published in our paper of record, the Lewiston Morning Tribune, and a 30-day notice and public comment will soon be available. 

Some public comments on the Chair Point, Van Keating, and Big Hill salvage projects indicated a high degree of concern. Reduced viability during layout, rapid deterioration of the wood product, and public concern from some organizations has led to the decision to drop these salvage projects.

The Deadwood project encompasses part of the Deadwood fire perimeter and is located on the Red River Ranger District, near Elk City and Orogrande. This project is sanitation and salvage and includes removal of dead and dying trees affected by insects, disease and/or fire. Forest employees are finalizing the analysis and a decision will be forthcoming on this project.

The Boulder area salvage project is on the Powell Ranger District, near Lolo Pass, and consists of harvesting 59 acres of dead and dying burned trees. Finalization of the analysis and a decision memo has been signed.

The Woodrat area salvage project includes harvest of fire-killed trees on a portion of the Woodrat fire which burned acres on the Lochsa Ranger District, lands administered by Idaho Department of Lands, and private lands near the communities of Syringa and Lowell.

The proposed decision is being refined due to changes on the ground and to take into account the visual impacts from within the Wild and Scenic River Corridor. An Emergency Situation Determination has been requested for this project.

Forest personnel continue to work closely with the regulator agencies on the Endangered Species Act compliance for both the Woodrat and Upper Lolo projects. This process has been completed for all other projects.

The proposed decision for the Roadside, Administrative, and Recreation Site Maintenance hazard tree removal project is being refined to address concerns from the public. The modifications include restricting activity on administratively closed roads to felling dead trees and fuels abatement, only; restricting equipment to the road surface adjacent to Inventoried Roadless Areas; and implementing project design features in areas visible from the Wild and Scenic River Corridor.

The Emergency Situation Determination request submitted for the Roadside, Administrative, and Recreation Site Maintenance hazard tree removal project has been approved by the Chief of the Forest Service.

Response to public concern, as well as resource conditions discovered during project layout, has reduced the scope and scale of the project and prompted changes in the proposed decision.

Forest personnel across all disciplines are working together to address the needs on lands administered by the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests and are participating members of the NCIWRG. Public input is a valued part of this process, as forest personnel work to provide safe access and restore the land.

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests gear up for 2016 fire season

Preparation for the 2016 fire season on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests began in the late fall with an After Action Review of the 2015 fire season.

Shortly after the first of the year, fire staff begin preparations by meeting with personnel to discuss resource needs, additional equipment, staffing levels, and new tools available. Forest Service firefighters are highly trained and complete all required courses before fire season begins.

A variety of forest personnel participate in incident management teams in the Northern Rockies Geographic Area. Incident team members met in March to discuss the seasonal outlook, safety, public information, logistics, operations, plan, and aviation.

Fire positions on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests are fully staffed this year. Fifty-one people have been hired in leadership positions, many of these folks have been on forest but have been promoted. There are currently a total of 238 fire personnel on board, and 197 of that total are primary firefighters.

Interagency Fire Guard School was June 6-10 at Camp Lutherhaven in Coeur d’ Alene. There, 180 rookies learned everything from fire behavior, size-up to initial attack, Standards of Survival, hand line construction, mop up principles, to wilderness fire suppression, and more.

Line Officers: All District Ranger positions are currently filled on both Forests. Line Officer qualification standards are met. Contingency plans are in place to insure fully qualified Line Officers managing all wildland fire, wildland fire use, and prescribed fire operations. 

Fire Leadership: Deputy Forest Supervisor Ralph Rau is leaving the forests in mid-June to fill the Fire and Aviation Director position at the Regional Office in Missoula.

Rau’s support in his new position will be invaluable to the forests. Bob Lippincott is the Fire Staff Officer and Kevin Chaffee is the new Deputy Fire Staff Officer.

Dispatch Program: The Grangeville Interagency Dispatch Center workforce is fully staffed. Idaho Department of Lands will be a primary partner, with additional support contributed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Clearwater Potlatch Timber Protection Association (CPTPA), and the Nez Perce Tribe.

Aviation Leadership: All aviation positions are currently filled.

Aviation Resources: Fixed-wing operations shut down at the Idaho County Airport June 3. Seventy-five working days is set for the project, which will last tentatively into October, during which fixed-wing aircraft will not be able to use the county facility; however, helicopter traffic will be able to continue.

For the duration, fixed-wing Forest Service firefighting aircraft—including smokejumper and SEATs (single engine air tanker)—will be dispersed between the Cottonwood and Lewiston airports.

There will be two SEATS and a Retardant Base at the Lewiston Airport. Grangeville Air Center currently has 29 smoke jumpers but will continuously staff a load at the Cottonwood Airport for initial attack during airport construction.

One helicopter will be based at Musselshell Work Center near Pierce (with 10 people) and one helicopter based at Grangeville Air Center (with 10 people). 

Additional Aviation Resources: Neighbors on the Payette NF, Wallowa-Whitman NF and IDL will have all of their aircraft in place and available under the Snake-Salmon Local Operating Plan. The zone will also continue to support the Umatilla NF under a standing agreement.

Current Conditions: As of June 1, the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests have had approximately eight prescribed fires at a total of 320 acres, and two wildfires for a total of 0.2 acres. Prescribed burning is being accomplished on several districts with no issue. 

Expected Conditions: According to the National Interagency Fire Center Predictive Services, normal significant wildland fire potential is expected for the Northern Rockies Geographic Area for the outlook period of June, July, and August through September, 2016.

May featured a very warm start to the month. However, with the onset of the wet pattern temperatures during the latter third of the month fell to well below normal.

Springs rains across the region were above normal for most areas. High elevation locations along the Divide picked up one to three feet of additional snow fall during the last week of May. 

Historically transitions out of El Niño conditions in late spring-early summer tend to be wetter-than-normal. Current trends and the latest models indicate above normal precipitation will continue for early summer.

Longer range data for the second half of the summer, mid-July to early September, shows near average precipitation expected.

There is general agreement that temperatures should be average to slightly above average over the next four months. 

A robust green-up is currently occurring across the Northern Rockies. Fuels in most locations are now much wetter than average. An extended green-up period is likely.

As a result, there is a chance that some areas across the western half of the region could see below normal significant fire potential this season.

That said, a normal start to the fire season is expected. The development of large fires may be delayed due to the longer time that it will take for fuels to become critically dry.

Two new tools for the public

“Wildfires Near Me” at: www.wildfiresnearme.wfmrda.com is a full-featured web app that brings information to the users when they need it.

The app can notify users when a fire is within a certain distance of the places they care about as well as notify them about specific fires when they change is size and complexity. 

Notifications can be sent to the user’s email or mobile phone via text and they can determine the type and frequency of the messages they receive. 

Regarding the Enterprise Geospatial Portal (EGP): The public side is accessed by anyone and without a password by navigating to https://maps.nwcg.gov or clicking the “Wildfire Maps” button in the National Fire Situational Awareness box.

It’s a great tool for the public to use to find incident information and incidents near them and holds a limited amount of incident information including location, size, latest perimeter map, containment, and hot spots (MODIS).

It also has a link to the daily Incident Management Situation Report (Sit report).

Report on U.S. Forest Service preparations for 2016 wildfire season and unfavorable wildfire trends

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell on May 17 met with Regional Foresters representing areas expected to be at greatest risk during the 2016 wildfire season to discuss their preparations to fight fires across the United States.

Last year, seven members of the Forest Service firefighting team were lost in the line of duty, and 4,500 homes were damaged or destroyed. The job of fighting wildfires has become increasingly difficult due to the effects of climate change, chronic droughts, and a constrained budget environment in Washington.

At least 58 million acres of National Forest System lands are in or near the Wildland Urban Interface and work now can reduce risk to life, homes, businesses and infrastructure. On the call, Chief Tidwell will underscore the Forest Service’s commitment to ensuring the protection of firefighters’ lives.

Climate change has led to fire seasons that are, on average, 78 days longer than they were in 1970, and the average number of acres burned each year has doubled since 1980.

As a result, the Forest Service's firefighting budget is regularly exhausted before the end of the wildfire season, forcing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to abandon critical restoration and capital improvement projects in order to suppress extreme fires.

Over half of the Forest Service’s 2015 budget was used to fight wildfires, compared to just 16 percent in 1995.

Help for wildfire victims

By Dave Summers, Idaho Department of Lands

If you were impacted by the Kamiah wildfires this summer, be aware that the Natural Resource Conservation Service, NRCS, has cost-share money to help with wildfire rehabilitation, grass seeding, reforestation, slash abatement, erosion mitigation, and a host of other post fire issues.

This program offers landowners an excellent opportunity to begin the rehabilitation process on properties damaged by the devastating wildfires this summer, but in order to participate, you need to sign up with your appropriate county district conservationist.

In Idaho County, Richard Spencer is the contact and can be reached at 208-983-1046, extension 3.

In Clearwater County, Amber Reeves is the contact and can be reached at 208-476-5313, extension 3. 

The deadline for signing up for this program is Friday, Nov. 20.

If you choose to participate in this program, a Natural Resource Conservation Service employee will visit your property and determine what the needs are, and how the program can best meet those needs.

Landowners will have a management plan developed for their property, with a three to five year time frame for completing the identified work. 

This is a reimbursable program which means the landowner must spend the money up front, and then the NRCS will reimburse the landowner at the appropriate cost-share rate, once the project has been completed and inspected. 

The following example may help explain the process. Currently the cost to plant a tree seedling with a contract crew is approximately $2 per tree. The cost includes purchasing the tree, having it planted, and installing a vexar tube to protect the tree from browsing damage. The NRCS cost-share rate for tree planting is currently set at $1.45 per tree.

Wildfires disrupt power to Dworshak’s Dent Acres campground; campers, visitors urged to use Dworshak State Park

Because of multiple fires burning in the region near Orofino, Idaho, electrical service to Dent Acres Campground has been disrupted, also affecting sewer and water availability.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff at Dworshak Dam and Reservoir are closing the camp except for dry-camping in a large parking lot. Water and power services are also unavailable throughout the park, although the boat ramp and day-use area remain open.

Campers, visitors and residents displaced by Clearwater Basin fires are encouraged to go to Dworshak State Park, where full services are available at Freeman Creek Campground, according to Idaho State Parks and Recreation staff. For camping information at Freeman Creek Campground, contact IDPR at 208-476-3132.

“Sometimes internet mapping apps direct drivers to take a gravel road – Don’t go that way. Follow the signs and stay on the pavement,” said Mary Stanley, IDPR visitor assistant at Dworshak State Park.

Stanley recommends drivers arriving from Orofino follow the Cavendish Highway (Old Idaho 7) to Freeman Creek Road, which leads directly to the park and campground. For more information about Dworshak State Park, check out IDPR’s website https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/parks/dworshak.

Clearwater Power crews are deployed to repair power outages, but some areas are still unreachable due to fire conditions. There is currently no estimated power-restoration time. Power outage maps are available at http://www.clearwaterpower.com.

Currently, area fires have not spread to Corps-managed lands at Dworshak. The dam, visitor center and recreation areas are operating as usual, with the exception of the Dent Acres power outage. For information and updates about fires near Dworshak, go online to Clearwater County’s website www.clearwatercounty.org.

The risk of wildfires is extremely high throughout the Pacific Northwest because of exceptionally hot weather, dry landscape and drought conditions, and forecasts for more of the same. To reduce the risk of accidental wildfires, fire restrictions are in effect at all recreation and camping areas at Dworshak and throughout Clearwater County http://firerestrictions.us/id/clearwater-area.

For the latest information about Dworshak outdoor recreation opportunities and updates about facility services, go to www.facebook.com/dworshakdam.

State disaster declaration issued in wake of numerous wildfires

(BOISE) – A state disaster declaration was issued Aug. 13 for Idaho and Lewis Counties allowing local governments dealing with wildfire the ability to access state and federal resources to assist them as their communities face a threat to lives and property. The lightning-caused Lawyer Complex fire, which started late Monday afternoon, involves more than three-thousand acres in north central Idaho and has led to evacuations and road closures near Kamiah.

“We are seeing some pretty extreme fire behavior which is why I want to ensure that local officials have whatever they need as they work to put the fire out and then transition to putting their communities back together,” said Governor Otter.

Deteriorating weather conditions, with triple digit temperatures, high winds, and dry lightning conspired to produce well over one hundred fire starts around the state this week. The state’s largest fire, the Soda Fire, grew over night to 200,000 acres and continues to burn along the Idaho/Oregon border threatening homes and destroying sage grouse habitat.

A disaster declaration allows local jurisdictions the ability to access federal and state resources for fighting the fire as well as funds to mitigate its effects.

The declaration was signed today by Senator Brent Hill, in his capacity as acting Governor, while Governor Otter and Lt. Governor Brad Little are both out of the state. The declaration is effective immediately.

“The First Lady and I want to thank all of our first responders and encourage Idahoans to heed their advice, if asked to evacuate.”

Statewide up-to-date information, including fires, fire restrictions and prevention measures can be found at idahofireinfo.blogspot.com – a link to which is available on the IBHS website. www.bhs.idaho.gov

Wildfire danger is expected to continue

Tuesday’s Stage II Fire Restrictions are planned to address long-term danger with regard to fire risk, long-term weather expectations, fire danger and fire behavior. “This decision to go to Stage II was not made lightly, nor will it be rescinded without careful consideration,” stated Bob Lippincott, Forest Fire Management Officer for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.

The purpose of fire restrictions is to reduce the risk of human-caused fires during unusually high fire danger and/or burning conditions. Fire Managers and Agency Administrators across Northern Idaho worked together to initiate and implement the Stage II Restrictions. 

When this group agrees that the restrictions for our area can be removed, the entire area will rescind restrictions as a whole. 

This fire season is different from recent fire seasons because fire dangers are at a record high. The extreme heat and dryness has not been experienced in 20 years.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, precipitation for the months of April through June across the northern half of Idaho was between 25 and 50 percent of normal.

The threat of wildfire danger is expected to continue throughout the rest of the summer and into the fall. The Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook for July and August lists all of North Idaho in ‘Above Normal’ potential indicating a higher than usual likelihood that wildland fires will occur and/or become significant events.

To view the Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook map, please visit http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf

Between Friday, July 10 and Saturday, July 11, the forest recorded 2,527 lightning occurrences, at least 84 of which reached the ground. 

Amounts of recorded rainfall with these storms varied tremendously across the reporting area, from trace amounts to almost 2 inches over the last 48 hours. 

This moisture has not significantly reduced the long-term danger with regard to fire risk, long-term weather expectations, and fire danger/behavior. 

Despite the rainfall, lightning associated with recent storm events resulted in several reported fires on the Forest with additional fires reported across the Grangeville Interagency Dispatch Zone. As fuels dry out it is likely that fires could continue to be discovered.

For additional information, please call your local Land Management Agency.

Details on the Stage II fire restrictions implemented Tuesday can be found elsewhere in this issue.

Idaho Department of Lands discusses what kind of fire season is expected for summer 2015

Information from the Idaho Department of Lands

It's official: summer is here and weather and fuel conditions indicate 2015 will be an active fire season. The very hot temperatures and dry weather expected across Idaho this week will rapidly dry out both fine and heavy fuels, increasing fire potential. Fire managers are asking people to be extra careful in the outdoors so they do not accidentally start a fire. 

Most of the 74 fires that State of Idaho firefighters have put out so far this year have been caused by people, not lightning. Fires resulting from equipment, recreational shooting, and controlled burns that escaped make up most of the human-caused fires on lands protected by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and two timber protective associations.

As the Independence Day holiday approaches, Idahoans also are reminded that fireworks are prohibited on forest and range lands in Idaho during closed fire season (May 10 through October 20). 

Fire prevention and safety tips are available on the new web site, http://idahofireinfo.blogspot.com/.

Fire forecast

National fire weather forecasters told the Land Board last week they expect a near normal fire season in southern Idaho and an above normal fire season for northern Idaho, where the State of Idaho has much of the responsibility for fighting wildfire. 

Low snowpack and low soil moisture contributed to conditions in May and June that fire managers do not usually see until July. Tree stumps are burning three to four feet into the ground and bushes that usually stay green and absorb the fire to slow it down are actually burning and contributing to the spread of fire. The low subsoil moisture probably is the result of a cold snap last November prior to snowfall that did not allow winter rain to penetrate the soil, so fires likely will burn deep into the soil and will be difficult to mop up without water.

This year, Idaho forests are drought-stressed and more prone to insect and disease damage. Fine fuels such as grasses are more prevalent than would be expected in a typical drought situation thanks to well timed precipitation this year. A healthy snowpack usually will compact fine fuel vegetation from the previous season, but the limited snowpack this year left abundant standing fuels from last season to add to this growing season. 

Factors that affect the severity of a fire season are global weather patterns, temperature, precipitation (amount and timing), snowpack, drought, and vegetation development. 

Ten IDL forest protective districts and two timber protective associations together provide protection on more than 6.2 million acres of mostly State owned and privately owned timberlands in Idaho. Most of the lands we protect are located north of Grangeville. The other two fire agencies are the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Local fire districts and rangeland fire protection associations assist IDL, USFS, and BLM in our firefighting efforts. 

The goal is to keep 94 percent of fires that burn on State-protected lands to 10 acres or less in size.

Craig Mountain wildlife management area open for business again after wildfire

A firefighter works near the riverbank during the Big Cougar Fire outside of Lewiston.  

Over the last few weeks, Craig Mountain enthusiasts have experienced road closures on the main Zaza road due to the 67,200 acre Big Cougar Fire outside of Lewiston. Access and roadways on Craig Mountain re-opened to pre-fire status Aug. 23.

Idaho Fish and Game and firefighter staff will be traveling around the Wildlife Management Area to address issues associated with the fire, so please drive carefully.

In addition, there are many potential hazards associated with post-wildfire areas such as the following:

Trees and snags. Burned or compromised trees have a high potential of falling, but unburned trees may be more susceptible to falling if they’ve lost the shelter and support from neighboring trees. Be very cautious during windy conditions.

Rocks. The dislodging and falling of rocks is another significant risk, especially in steep sloped areas such as the breaks and grasslands of Craig Mountain.

Unstable ground. Soils will be more unstable after a wildfire when they’ve lost the stability from plants and trees. This may result in less stable hiking conditions or even may lead to landslides, especially during or after a heavy rain event.

Rock wells. After a wildfire has burned through a forested or shrubby area, sometimes the root system of shrubs and trees are also burned out leaving a void that may still be covered by ash and debris.

All the county, state, and federal agencies sincerely appreciate your patience through this fire and the associated closure period.

Contact the regional office (208) 799-5010 or visit us on Facebook at Idaho Fish and Game Clearwater Region for a more information concerning the Big Cougar Fire.

Safety first during wildfire season – resources are available to help homeowners

The forests are dry, the wind is blowing and the weather has brought lightning with only scattered rain showers. Fire Season is upon us. Except, few fires have actually ignited in west central Idaho; it’s a waiting game. Wildland firefighting personnel are ready.

Their skills have been fine-tuned supporting our neighbors to the west in Washington and Oregon who have thus far had a very busy fire season. It seems these days; somewhere in the country every year communities experience devastating loss. Unfortunately, home destruction from wildfire has happened again in 2014. But what about your home, your community? Are you ready if a wildfire threatens your neighborhood?

Families may not be together when disaster strikes. It’s important to discuss a plan in advance. Consider identifying a safe place to meet, how will you get there, how will you contact one another? The web site www.ready.gov has planning tools to prepare a family, including children and seniors, pets and livestock for the unthinkable. Have these conversations before an emergency occurs.

If your home is in the wildland urban interface, you should be prepared for a threatening wildfire. The Firewise program (found at www.firewise.org) provides extensive information on all phases of being a homeowner in the wildland urban interface. Consider the Firewise Wildfire Approaching Checklist:

 Call for help

Use a cell phone if your electrical power has been interrupted.

 Close all entrances, windows and other openings.

This includes doors, garage doors, windows, vents and any other entrances to your residence or garage. Close shutters, heavy drapes, Venetian blinds or other window coverings. This action is recommended to prevent sparks from blowing inside your house and igniting there.

 

Dress to protect yourself

Wear cotton/woolen clothing including long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves and a handkerchief to protect your face.

 

Wet down the roof

If your roof is combustible, wet it down with a hose. Place the ladder you use for this task on the side of the roof opposite the fire.  

 

Turn off residential fuel

If you use natural gas or butane, turn it off at the tank or the meter.

 

Prepare the automobiles

Back as many vehicles as possible into the garage. Then close the garage door. In the event you evacuate, close the garage door behind you as you leave. If you do not have a garage or if the garage is full, park vehicles so they are heading in the direction of the evacuation route.

 Evacuate the family

If evacuation becomes necessary, take your family and pets to a safe location.

The University of Idaho Extension office has provided an excellent resource document authored by Yvonne C. Barkley, Chris Schnepf and Jack Cohen titled Protecting and Landscaping Homes in the Wildland Urban Interface available at www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/Extension/Forestry/Fire/WUI/FireProtectBro2010_final

Beginning with forest health and the role fire plays in healthy ecosystems, the authors explain that if you live in the wildland urban interface, you need to recognize that the home ignition zone (your home and its immediate surroundings) belongs to you. That means you have the responsibility to reduce your homes vulnerability to wildfire.

The report goes on to explain that homes that are not vulnerable to ignition will not burn in a wildfire. During the Wildland/urban fires, homes ignite in two principal ways; from flame heating and/or more commonly from fire brand ignition (burning ember spot ignitions). Regardless of how they start, all fires must meet the requirements for ignition and combustion – a sufficient amount of fuels, heat and oxygen.

Take the time to review the tools available to you. Have conversations with family, friends and neighbors about what the plan is should evacuations occur. Learn what you can do to make a difference in saving your property. Nobody can predict the future, but we can all prepare for it.

Public and firefighter safety is always the number 1 concern during a wildfire. If you have any concerns or questions please do not hesitate to contact the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests at 208-983-1950. We will be glad to visit with you. Be safe out there.

Fire Speaks the Land: An Active Audiences Performance

Fire science education for youth merges with the performing arts when the University of Montana, CoMotion Dance Project performs “Fire Speaks the Land: An Active Audiences Performance.”

Eight school performances will be conducted for kindergarten through sixth grade students during the week of March 10-14, (Monday – Friday) at Clearwater Valley Elementary, Kamiah Elementary, Timberline Schools, Orofino Elementary, Troy Elementary, Deary Elementary, Lapwai Elementary, and Grangeville Elementary.

The 50-minute performance uses original choreography, narration and music to explore fire science, forest ecology and traditional native perspectives on fire.

Designed for K-6 students, “Fire Speaks the Land” features five dancers, a narrator, unique scenery and lighting, colorful costumes as well as several opportunities for the audience to participate in the performance, both on and off stage. Students learn about ecological issues relevant to our region through an artistic, narrated performance that both delights and informs.

Karen Kaufmann, 2014 recipient of the Montana Arts Council’s Artist Innovation Award, directs the CoMotion Dance Project, an organization that promotes dance in K-12 education. Written and produced by Karen Kaufmann and Steve Kalling, the piece features choreography by Karen Kaufmann and Joy French, with live performance by five professional dancers: Allison Heather, Kaitlin Kinsley, Katie McEwen, Ashley Griffith and Joy French. Original music is composed and recorded by Steve Kalling and nine Montana musicians. Blackfeet musician and storyteller Jack Gladstone narrates the sound score.

The Fire Speaks the Land tour in Idaho was funded by the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests and the North Central Idaho Fire Prevention Cooperative (NCIFPC). The NCIFPC received a grant through Idaho FireWise in support of the performances. The Lapwai Elementary performance was funded by the Nez Perce Tribe, Forestry and Fire Management Division. Additional support comes from The University of Montana, Montana Cultural Trust, Montana Arts Council, Public Value Partnership, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, Cadeau Foundation, and the USDA Forest Service Missoula Fire Sciences Lab.

For more information, contact Courtney Couch at the Kooskia Ranger Station at (208) 926-4274.

“Fire Speaks the Land: An Active Audiences Performance” will be performed at regional elementary schools, including Orofino and Timberline, the week of March 10-14.