Wildfires get out-of-control over weekend

Several prescribed burns in Shoshone County were carried out by the United States Forest Service this last weekend, but just as many unplanned burns also popped up — giving local fire crews plenty to do.

Idaho Department of Lands-Cataldo Fire Warden Chris Myers and Shoshone County Fire District No. 2 Chief Mark Aamodt told the News-Press that their firefighters responded to a total of four different human-caused wildfires in the Silver Valley over the course of April 16 to 18.

The first blaze, officially known as the Mission 32 fire, started in the mid-afternoon of April 16 in privately owned flatland west of the Cataldo Mission. Fire crews with IDL and SCFD No. 2 arrived on scene at approximately 7 p.m. and got to work immediately to limit its spread.

"IDL and D2 units walked the swampy area near the boat launch to ensure the fire wouldn't progress toward the Mission," Myers said.

After working throughout the night, crews were able to contain the fire by Saturday morning — limiting the damage to 33 acres of burned grass and fine fuels. No injuries or structure damage was reported.

Though it is still under investigation, Aamodt stated on scene that the fire was believed to have been caused by individuals attempting to do a controlled burn on their property. Thankfully for the crews on scene and Idaho's oldest building, the weather cooperated with firefighting efforts.

"Can you imagine what would have happened had that wind gone the other way that night?," Aamodt said.

Myers estimates that the flames got within 400-500 yards of the Mission itself.

Just as things were calming down in Cataldo, crews from both agencies were then called to another private out-of-control burn on Riverview Drive in Kingston Saturday afternoon. Luckily, they were able to get on scene quickly and extinguish the blaze before it could get more than a half-acre in size.

Myers stated that things got out of control for the property owner/burner fairly quickly in this one.

"He's an experienced burner that has done it before and had success, but it surprised him," he said. "He lit one match and that was all it took to get outside of his ability to control it."

Then on Sunday, IDL and SCFD No. 2 responded to separate wildfires; one near Tamarack Ridge and the other just next to the Pinehurst Interstate 90 on-ramp.

The Tamarack Ridge fire, officially called the Dudley 6 fire, burned approximately 3 acres of land before IDL and SCFD No. 2 fire crews could knock it down. Mother nature also assisted their efforts by adding a little late-night rain.

Now contained and controlled, Dudley 6 was most likely caused by an old slash pile that had sparked up again.

The final fire of the weekend burned near the Pinehurst I-90 eastbound on-ramp and was sparked by a slash pile positioned just North of By The Way Campground. Burning in similar terrain to the other three fires, flames made their way across roughly an acre of dry, flat grassland aided by the wind.

Firefighters with SCFD No. 2 were able to extinguish the flames both on the ground and the little that hopped up onto the neighboring hillside. These hillside flames were taken care of by off-duty firefighters that utilized a road on the east side through a rock quarry.

With so many wildfires in such a short amount of time, not to mention so early in the year, both Myers and Aamodt have the same advice when it comes to people doing their own burns — don't.

"I don't think I've ever seen fire behavior like this ever, especially this early in the year," Aamodt said.

Myers explains that there are many safer alternatives to burning such as taking woody debris to the transfer station or simply storing the burnable material until the fall months.

Both fire officials also stress that if residents decide to burn anyway, Idaho code states that burners are responsible for that fire and must keep it controlled — that means keeping a vigilant eye on it while it is still active. If your fire does get out of hand, it's possible you could be saddled with the costs associated with fighting the fire and the damage that the fire causes.

"It doesn't matter whether it's open or closed fire season, if you are doing controlled burning, you are responsible for that fire no matter what, Aamodt said."

"We're asking folks to really watch their stuff and check their burn piles," Myers added.

Burn permits will be required from May 10 thru Oct. 20.