BOISE, Idaho — When large parts of Central Idaho went up in flames last summer, we experienced the growing threat of wildfires and as Los Angeles County burns, we're reminded that those fires can happen at any time.
I'm your neighborhood reporter, Jessica Davis sharing what I learned as Governor Brad Little called for more funding and a new approach to fighting fires.
A key goal of the governor's plan is to make Idaho a safer place to live, especially when it comes to wildfires.
On the front end, that starts with prevention.
Goals include better fuel management, especially around public utilities, to lower the risk of wildfires.
The Department of Energy and Mineral Resources plans to provide funding through the Energy Resilience Grant Program.
"We have funded 12 different electric utilities throughout the state for a total of 23 projects, with a combined cost of about $22 million," says Richard Stover, director of The Department of Energy and Mineral Resources
Small and rural municipal utilities were the priority for the energy grant.
Another focus is finding ways to help Idahoans harden their homes and create defensible space to reduce the risk of catastrophic losses, like those seen in California right now.
Director of Idaho Department of Insurance, Dean Cameron, says “To help them be able to manage their risk and reduce the risk so that they can obtain homeowners insurance and have affordable homeowners insurance prices,”
The hope is to ensure Idahoans are not burdened with higher bills after a fire event.
The big takeaway from the governor’s 10-point plan is that this is a complex and serious issue. Whether it's forest management, firefighting efforts, or recovery, local, state, and federal leaders will have to work together to solve it.
"In essence, all hands are on deck. Everyone works together to communicate," said Governor Little.
He continues, "that was one of the recommendations. We need to improve coordination and communication. After fires, there's always the question of who’s in charge, and we continue to refine that and make it better each time."
The Governor's funding request is now in the hands of the Idaho legislature.
