Idaho’s fire season could be worse in August

SALMON, Idaho (KIFI) - There are currently 17 active wildfires in Idaho. Twelve of them were caused by lightning, two by people, and three by undetermined causes.

The good news is big fires like the Bench Lake Fire and the Durkee Fire near the Oregon/Idaho border are on their way to being fully contained.

The bad news is the fire season could be even worse in August.

Between the above normal heat and exceptionally hot and dry conditions in July, live and dead fuels throughout southern Idaho have been quickly dried out. Forests are much more likely to catch fire if ignited.

The Central Idaho Dispatch Zone is already at Very High fire danger and the Thunder Fire closure has been terminated.

Visitors are reminded of the Very High fire danger for the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Meanwhile, the U.S. Forest Service, Idaho Department of Lands, and Bureau of Land Management in east‐central Idaho are in Stage 1 fire restrictions.

More from BLM can be found here.