KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — Fire departments across Idaho are increasing staffing and equipment as they prepare for what officials predict could be an exceptionally challenging wildfire season beginning this month.
The Northern Lakes Fire District has increased its personnel to 21 full-time staff members and is deploying additional brush trucks and water tenders throughout the summer.
“We’re staffing extra brush trucks and tenders throughout the summer months to be able to respond to the fires quicker with more of the appropriate apparatus,” said Brad Belmont, deputy chief at Northern Lakes Fire.
The increased preparation comes as firefighters anticipate higher call volumes due to drought conditions and reduced snowpack.
“The drought that we’re in, that we’ve been in, the snowpack that we normally get, we did not get this year. So they’re just expecting a much earlier season. It’s already started down south in Idaho,” Belmont said.
Statewide, the Idaho Department of Lands has hired 260 firefighters and can now staff approximately 70% of its fire engines, an improvement from last year. However, officials acknowledge they still need additional seasonal firefighters to reach full capacity.
Fire officials emphasize that community members play a crucial role in fire prevention.
“Some of the largest fires that we have in the area are human cause. 85% nationally is human cause. And they’re preventative fires. They’re not we’re not saying that they’re all arson. What we’re saying they’re preventable. They are from unattended campfires,” said Chris Larson.
Fire officials are urging residents to prepare emergency evacuation bags and sign up for local alert systems to respond quickly if evacuation orders are issued.
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