BOISE, Idaho — Governor Brad Little outlines 10 priorities to reduce impacts of wildfire. Flanked by dozens of firefighters at the Safe Wise Garden at the Idaho Botanical Garden, Governor Little discussed his plans to make Idaho a safer place from wildfires.
- 2023 Wildfire roundtable came up with solutions
- The roundtable discussed liability reform for utilities, statewide communication, and insurers
- The new report outlines 10 priorities to reduce impacts of wildfire
Firefighters joined Idaho Governor Brad Little at the Idaho Botanical Garden on August 23 to discuss the state's wildfire response and new improvements to that process.
The full press conference from Friday, August 23 is available below:
The conference opened with Governor Little and Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller discussing the wildfire management situation in the state. Idaho's population growth has increased the number of human-caused fires and moved more residents closer to the fringes of Idaho's forests where fires during the summer are more common.
The press conference follows a 2023 wildfire roundtable where Lt. Governor Scott Bedke and Governor Little recognized the need for actionable items to combat wildfires in the state. The Lt. Governor created four work groups to develop reports to the Governor's office.
The recommendations aim to use a multi-faceted approach to prevent wildfire dangers by managing growth, reducing available fuels for fires, and using new technology to locate wildfires early.
Early fire detection was highlighted as a major way to prevent fire damage, and remote fire detection cameras with live feeds were discussed as just one way to do this.
Boise Fire Chief Mark Niemeyer closed the press conference by thanking Governor Little for working with fire crews across the state to develop preventative and mitigation policies for wildfires in the state.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Flanked by dozens of firefighters Governor Brad Little discussed his plans to make Idaho a safer place from wildfires. In 2023 Governor Brad Little and Lt.Governor Scott Bedke hosted a wildfire roundtable that pulled together industry leaders to come up with 10 priorities to reduce impacts of wildfires especially in utility corridors.
"We really, there's the first responders they're the ones who know the country and one of the things it does is there's training always safety always communications, it has been an incredible success and now we need to scale it up, to the logging and farming communities all over the state as chief Morris said it' all hands-on deck."
The roundtable discussed liability reform for utilities, statewide communication, and insurers, something Dean Cameron the Director of the Idaho Department of Insurance knows all too well. Many insurance companies have pulled out of states that have been devastated by fires, and floods.
"It is critical in our opinion for a healthy marketplace to be their multiple choices, of insurance carriers at different prices so consumers can build homes and buy homes and businesses can thrive."
And what better place to remind homeowners that they can do their part in preventing catastrophic damage. The Idaho Botanical Garden they have a Fire Wise Garden that shows homeowners what plants and vegetation they can plant around their homes."
I asked longtime Southern Idaho rancher Mike Guerry, who is also Chairman of the Three Creek Rangeland Fire Prevention District how rangeland fires put extreme pressure on ranchers.
"As a rancher you have to make a tough decision whether that open range is destroyed for a one or two years, you have two hundred head of cattle you might have to sell half of them off, right? Yes, there's a lot of consequences that come along first of all you have to figure if it's private, state or federal land. Who's on what property. That changes the rules. On private you might get back on quicker but there may be restrictions on federal land don't allow you back on for two or three years at a time.
Also on Friday, the Idaho Cattleman's Association announced that they are now accepting donations for their Wildlife Relief Fund.
