Costs racking up as Idaho continues to battle wildfires

BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The Idaho Department of Land’s monthly fire update for October shows that officials have dealt with 323 fires on endowment land so far this year, burning more than 49,000 acres.

Compared to 2023, there were 284 fires, making 2024 a significant fire year. The IDL said it is happening more frequently than in the past.

“We’re seeing these trends of significant fire years getting closer and closer to each other,” Fire Management Bureau Chief Josh Harvey said. “We generally would anticipate a significant fire year every four or five years and now we are seeing them every two to three years.”

Human-caused fires were again the highest, responsible for 201 this year, according to the IDL.

Harvey said that will continue to be an issue as the landscape of Idaho changes and more human development meets undeveloped wildland.

“There’s a much higher threat of human caused fires starting. Those human caused fires tend to be the most destructive fires that we see in terms of damage to homes private property but also our primary responsibility of endowment and forest lands.”

Harvey pointed out several factors influencing this year’s fire season.

“How much moisture did the ground absorb from the snowfall the previous year? What sort of rains and measurable moisture did we get in the springtime? That all leads to the amount of growth of the fine fuels.”

Later in the season, fuels dry out even more. That means Idaho could still see fires for some time across our area.

“For the general public it’s important to understand until we see a significant change in conditions and the fuels and moisture in the ground fire is going to be a hazard,” Harvey said.

So far this year, battling wildfires on IDL lands has cost the state more than $62 million.

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