Boise Fire Restrictions Start Friday

Due to the lack of water and continued high temperatures, the annual fire ban will begin earlier this year. The ban will start this Friday on most forests and campgrounds in the Boise area. The state of Idaho has a website www.idahofireinfo.com to explain what you can and cannot do while enjoying the outdoors in Idaho.   The Idaho Statesman has a complete list of all the agencies that have joined the command for fire restrictions.  

The motto of the 2021 Fire Prevention Plan is 'one less spark, one less wildfire." Campfires are allowed in areas such as fire pits and developed recreational areas. Wood stoves and charcoal fires are prohibited, while liquefied bottles and gas stoves, and heaters may be used.  

Smoking is not allowed outside a vehicle, a building, or a designated recreation site or stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials. Fireworks are not allowed on public lands in Idaho.  Five years ago the Table rock fire devastated our area.  You can read about what happens when fireworks are used on public lands here.

Governor Little has said this could be the worst fire season that the state has seen in recent years. You can read more about that story here.  Western states are currently dealing with a historic amount of damaging fires throughout the West. Last year, President Trump visited the state of California during last year's fire season.  He urged Congress at that time to pass legislation to allow states such as Idaho to manage their lands and federal lands.

From the web site on the purpose of the fire restrictions:

The purpose of fire restrictions is to reduce the risk of human-caused fires during unusually high fire danger and/or burning conditions, and when other prevention efforts have been exhausted. Fire restrictions impose many limitations on the general public and private landowners and should be implemented only as a portion of an ambitious and successful prevention program. Alternative and preliminary measures include, but are not limited to, increasing the number of prevention signs, public contacts, and media campaigns. Fire restrictions should be considered only when very high or extreme fire danger is predicted to persist. Fire restrictions should be considered one of the last prevention tools to be used and should not be considered to be the prevention program.