The extreme severity of the 2007 summer wildfire season has convinced Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter to issue a statewide disaster emergency declaration.
The declaration, announced by Otter Monday, came at the request of the state Bureau of Homeland Security, which has cited the growing risk to life and property as a result of uncontrolled wildfires burning throughout Idaho. The state of disaster will remain in place for 30 days unless terminated, changed or extended for another 30-day period.
The declaration by Otter authorizes the use of state government resources to assist in efforts to respond to wildfire threats where they occur anywhere in Idaho, a news release from the office of the governor states. Further, it will enable state officials to more efficiently provide and coordinate logistical support where it's most needed throughout the state.
"We still have a lot of fire season ahead of us, and I want local and state folks to have all the help they need in protecting lives and property," Otter said. "Wildfires may not be close at hand for all of us, but we all have a stake in protecting our fellow Idahoans from the threat."
Meanwhile, on Monday up to three dozen Idaho Air National Guard personnel were reportedly dispatched to assist Blaine County authorities at four local traffic control points. On Sunday, Otter also authorized Blaine County officials to use their discretion in ordering evacuations from wildfire-threatened areas along Warm Springs Road west of Gates Road near the Warm Springs Village.
With the governor's authorization in hand, the Blaine County Commission issued a mandatory evacuation order at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19, for all of Warm Springs Road west of the Ketchum city limits. The order does not pertain to areas inside the city limits.
Preceding Otter's statewide declaration on Monday, the Blaine County Commission met last Friday to request the governor issue a disaster emergency declaration for Blaine County. Prior to the 2:30 p.m. meeting in Hailey, Blaine County Commissioner Tom Bowman said the commission was requesting the declaration from Otter due to the extreme fire danger that exists across the county.
The request was especially fortuitous, as Friday was the day the then 30-acre Castle Rock Fire out the Warm Springs Creek drainage 10 miles west of Ketchum began to increase in size. Within two days on Sunday, the blaze had grown to an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 acres.
Like Otter's statewide declaration, the countywide declaration from the governor frees up additional state government resources to assist in efforts to respond to wildfire threats in the county, Bowman said.
"What this does is allow local fire agencies to get state resources that they would otherwise be unable to get," Bowman said. "There are currently three fires burning in Blaine County with red flag warnings for extreme fire conditions and a forecast for thunderstorms."
As of early Tuesday, Aug. 21, the massive Castle Rock Fire had grown to an estimated 12,058 acres, fire officials reported at a 7 a.m. briefing for firefighters at Sun Valley Resort's River Run Lodge. The officials put the official percentage of containment on the blaze on Tuesday at merely 6 percent.
Elsewhere throughout Idaho, numerous wildfires continue to burn.
According to the Web site of the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, a total of 13 large wildfires were burning across a combined 739,613 acres in Idaho Tuesday. They included the:
· Cascade Complex on the Boise National Forest. This 158,638-acre complex 16 miles northeast of Cascade is 11 percent contained. Active fire behavior has been reported, and the Warm Lake community, Paradise Valley, and the main power line to Warm Lake are threatened. Road closures and evacuations are in effect.
· East Zone Complex on the Payette National Forest. This 202,953-acre complex 25 miles northeast of McCall is 10 percent contained. The complex is made up of three separate fires. The Secesh, Warren, and South Fork communities remain threatened, while Secesh and Warren remain evacuated. Recent activity includes surface fire creeping and smoldering.
· Shower Bath Fire on the Salmon-Challis National Forest. This blaze 18 miles northwest of Challis is at 58,000 acres and is zero percent contained. Structures, historic cabins and cultural sites remain threatened. Recent activity includes creeping and smoldering with isolated torching.
As Idaho Gov. C.L. ?Butch? Otter issued a statewide disaster emergency declaration Monday, a tent city for firefighters working on the Castle Rock Fire took shape on a pasture south of downtown Ketchum. Photo by Willy Cook
