Wildfire prevention and preparedness messages at the gas pump

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Do you ever watch the short ads that pop up on the gas pump while filling your tank? Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) is running short video reminders of how you can prevent wildfires.

Starting back in April and running through October 31, IDL is running a fire prevention campaign at the gas pump. You will find the short fire prevention tips at gas stations throughout Idaho and at gas stations in nearby states where people might fill up on their way to Idaho to enjoy all it has to offer.

Idaho is seeing an increase in outdoor recreation on endowment and public lands both from its growing population and influx of visitors.

“Idaho is a great place to camp, fish, hike and so much more, and we love to share our state with visitors,” IDL Director Dustin Miller said. “The only way these incredible opportunities can remain available to everyone is if we all do our part to prevent human caused fires, so we are using innovative ways to share fire prevention messages people will remember and use.”

The hope is the short videos will help remind folks to take an extra minute to make sure chains aren’t dragging if towing a trailer or a boat, to remember to park on pavement or gravel instead of over dry grass, or to make sure campfires are out and cold to the touch even if leaving for a short time.

A moment or two of negligence could mean putting a community and the lands you love at risk and could mean paying the entire cost of fighting that fire.

Versions of the ads also remind people that now is the time to prepare the area around your home for the threat of wildfire.

The $100,000 ad campaign is paid for through federal grant money for fire prevention. IDL’s purchase of a high volume of ads allows partners like Idaho Firewise and even other states to piggyback on IDL’s contract and buy ads at a reduced rate.

In the first 10 days of the campaign, IDL’s fire prevention ads were seen more than 813,000 times.

For more information on Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness, go HERE.