SHOOTING CAN CAUSE WILDFIRES

Choose not to shoot on hot, dry and windy days.

Exploding targets, incendiary rounds and tracer ammunition are illegal on all public lands.

Don’t shoot into rocks or metal objects and place targets in areas free of vegetation.

Always have water, a shovel and fire extinguisher ready in case a fire starts.

Clean up all targets and shells and pack them out

Fire season to start later due to winter snow pack and spring rains

Statewide, ID - Moisture from Idaho’s historically wet winter and the current spring rains will lessen the fire risk during the early summer months. Once vegetation and grasses dry out, however, fires may be larger than normal. 

The Wildland Fire Outlook, produced at the National Interagency Fire Center, projects that low to mid-elevation fuels should completely cure from south to north later in May through June. In May, as fuels begin to dry, there could be brief periods of increased fire potential with warm and windy conditions after a dry period. The outlook also reports elevated fire potential in July and August across the lower elevations of much of western and northern Nevada, and possibly into southwest Idaho.

The 2017 Fire Prevention Order, recently signed by the BLM Idaho State Director Tim Murphy, prohibits specific fire-related activities on public lands from May 10 to October 20. The order makes it illegal to burn explosive materials or use fireworks, exploding targets or tracer ammunition on BLM-managed lands in Idaho.

 “The goal of the annual fire prevention order is to reduce the number of wildfires," said Eric Franstead, Idaho BLM Deputy State Fire Management Officer.  "The BLM appreciates your efforts to protect our public lands, one of our nation’s greatest treasures.”

Any person who knowingly and willfully performs any act restricted by the Fire Prevention Order could be subject to a fine and held responsible for fire suppression and/or rehabilitation cost. Historically, less than half of wildfires in Idaho are caused by humans. However, in 2016, almost 88 percent of fires on BLM-managed lands in Idaho were human-caused. Those 236 fires burned over 13,000 acres.

May has been designated Wildfire Awareness Month by eight Western governors including Idaho Governor Butch Otter. This campaign urges residents to better protect their homes and communities from wildfires. Simple steps like pruning trees, cleaning gutters and screening vents can protect a home against the threat of wildfire.

The BLM Idaho 2017 Fire Prevention Order, as well as the most recent information concerning wildfires, fire restrictions and fire prevention and education, can be found on the interagency Idaho Fire Info webpage, www.idahofireinfo.com. 

For tips on wildland fire prevention and community preparedness, visit www.idahofirewise.org or http://fireadapted.org/.

2017 Wildland Fire Outlooks: https://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf

May is Wildfire Awareness Month: Plan, Prepare, and Prevent

Idaho’s Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter has proclaimed May Wildfire Awareness Month. Throughout the month, interagency fire officials are encouraging residents to better protect their homes and communities from wildfire, and help firefighters reduce the number of human-caused fires. In Idaho, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is asking the public to Plan, Prepare and Prevent.

 Plan on becoming Firewise by identifying the hazards around your home. Prepare by creating survivable space to protect your home; and Prevent wildfires this summer by using caution with

anything that can cause a spark.

Agencies will hold multiple activities across the state to help inform and prepare residents for the upcoming fire season. One of those events will be screenings of Era of Megafires, a multimedia production will be presented at various locations around the State.  This production is hosted by Dr. Paul Hessburg with the Pacific Northwest Research Station, U.S. Forest Service, who has conducted fire and landscape ecology research for more than 27 years. These events are hosted by interagency partners from across the wildland fire and education spectrum.

Era of Megafires info: https://vimeo.com/169620008 

Era of Megafires screening dates and locations include:  

North Idaho:

·         May 1- At the Coeur d’Alene Public Library, Community Room, Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the event starting at 6 p.m.

·         May 2- At the Columbia Bank Community Room in Sandpoint, ID. The event starts at 6 p.m.

Boise:

·         May 16 - At the historic Egyptian Theater in downtown Boise, Doors open at 5 p.m. for a pre-show no host social and event starts at 6 p.m.

o   Tickets: General Admission seating - $5.00 Advanced and $7.00 Day of Show

http://egyptiantheatre.net/event/era-of-megafires-presentation/

Twin Falls:

·         May 17 - At the Herrett Center, on the College of Southern Idaho campus, Rick Allen Room. The events starts at 6 p.m.

Pocatello:

·         May 18 - At the Idaho Museum of Natural History, in the Discovery Room. The event starts at 6 p.m.

 Additionally, the National Fire Protection Association identified May 6 as National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. For more information: http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/campaigns/national-wildfire-community-preparedness-day

For more information on wildland fire prevention and community preparedness, visit www.idahofireinfo.com,www.idahofirewise.org, or http://fireadpated.org/. And follow @BLMIdahoFire on Twitter for updates on events, tips for fire preparedness, and current fire information.

Fire prevention specialist recognized in ceremony

TWIN FALLS, ID - Today, Idaho Fire Mitigation and Education Specialist Jennifer Myslivy was awarded the Bronze Smokey Bear Award during a ceremony held at the BLM Twin Falls District office.

Myslivy was recognized for leading “One Less Spark,” a robust fire prevention campaign, and creating "Steppe Up," a spinoff campaign designed to increase public awareness of how human-caused wildfires impact the sagebrush steppe ecosystem.  Steppe Up partners include the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission, Idaho Firewise, The Nature Conservancy, University of Idaho Rangeland Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Project Learning Tree, U.S. Forest Service and Idaho Department of Lands. The campaign has also been adopted by BLM in Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Utah. Myslivy also participated on several prevention teams and committees, helped to expand the fire trespass program, and created the fire information website www.idahofireinfo.com, which currently has over 1 million page views.

The Smokey Bear Award is the highest national honor one can receive for outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire prevention.  This merit award has been bestowed on deserving groups and individuals annually since 1957.  The National Association of State Foresters, the USDA Forest Service and The Advertising Council sponsor the awards, and nominations are considered and voted upon by the members of the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Committee.  All three sponsoring organizations have representation on the Committee.

There are three levels of awards each year: Gold, Silver, and Bronze.  All three award categories represent the highest level of recognition possible, the only difference being the geographical scope of the nominated work. 

For more information about the award, please contact BLM Idaho Assistant Fire Management Officer Eric Fransted at (208) 373-3855.