Fire danger could be on the rise

SANDPOINT — The fire danger is low in the Sandpoint area, but is elevated to moderate at Priest Lake, according to the Coeur d’Alene Interagency Dispatch Center.

The persistent cool and moist weather in June has allowed grasses and brush to flourish. When cured, those types of fine, flashy fuels increase the threat of fast-moving wildfires. The height of the wildland fire season in North Idaho typically begins in mid to late July, which coincides with the curing stages of those fuels.

Forest officials said the fire danger will increase if a hot and dry weather pattern sets up over the Panhandle.

Individuals who conducted burning operations in the fall or spring are urged to carefully check their burn piles for any smoldering debris, said Chris Remsen, fire warden for the Idaho Department of Lands’ Pend Oreille supervisory area.

“Holdover fires from slash piles burned in the spring and fall have been one of the major causes of fire suppression activities in Bonner County for the past several years,” Remsen said.

Those responsible for any human-caused fires, including holdovers, will be billed for suppression costs.

The state’s closed fire season started on May 10 and extends to Oct. 20. During this period, it’s unlawful to set a fire outside of an incorporated city without a permit from a forest protective district. The restriction does not apply to campfires, however.

Permits in Bonner County can be obtained at the Sandpoint IDL office located at 2550 U.S. Highway 2 or at the Priest Lake IDL office at Cavanaugh Bay. The Sandpoint and Priest Lake ranger districts also has permits.

Permits must be signed and in-hand during all burning operations.

For those within the city limits of Sandpoint, Ponderay, Kootenai and Priest River, permits can be obtained from each city’s fire department.

The IDL and U.S. Forest Service remind people to make sure they attend their burning at all times and ensure fires are cold to the touch before leaving them unattended.