07/11/08

Last year at this time, emergency scanners teemed with wildfire alerts. This season has been much quieter for Bureau of Land Management fire crews, not just here in the Magic Valley, but across Idaho.

Sky Buffat, BLM Public Information Officer says, “Statewide, I know our Idaho Falls District isn't experiencing any wild fire activity right now. I don't believe Boise is currently today.

Here in the Magic Valley District, BLM Assistant Fire Management Officer Shane McDonald says they've had fifty fires this season, equating to thirteen-hundred acres.

McDonald says, “We had a longer spring, as you know, it stayed colder and wetter for quite some time and that probably put us about a month behind than when we were last year. So far, we're grateful. We've had wildfire activity, but it's been relatively small. Two-hundred aces has been our largest fire, where last year we were dealing with thousands upon thousands of acres.

It has allowed the BLM to send many of its crews to California in support of that state's mega fires. But even if Idaho hasn't had any major blazes thus far, experts say we are on the cusp of the worst part of the summer.