Wet June delayed fire season, but conditions are changing with hot temps and dry weather

The arrival of hot summer temperatures and dry conditions has racheted up the wildfire danger in southwest Idaho.
 The wet and cool months of May and June delayed the start of the fire season. The near-record rain turned the range and hills around Weiser green with vegetation that will dry out shortly and become a source of fuel for wildfires.  
 Fire chief Tim Atwood, with the Weiser Area Rural Fire Department, said spot fires may pop up, but he doesn’t expect large fires or heightened fire activity until the end of July and into August. The wildfire season could continue into the months of September and October.
 The late start to the wildfire season does not mean it will be mild or short. The weather from July to September will likely be warmer and drier than average, which “suggests an above-normal fire season despite its slow start,” according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
 The lack of a heavy snowpack last winter created a unique situation with fire fuels. The snowpack did not compact the grass and keep it close to the ground like it usually does. As a result vegetation is standing and will dry out quicker. It may still be green in places around Washington County, but it only takes a week of hot temperatures to turn it brown, Atwood said.
 From what he has observed, Atwood said there are areas with heavy fuel loads. The vegetation in places out toward Rock Creek includes a lot of light grasses that burn fast but do not create long flame lengths. The grass and brush on south-facing hills will dry out first.
 Now is the time for homeowners living in the county to take action to create defensible space around their homes and properties.
 A vegetation-free buffer of 30-50 feet is preferable. Graze the vegetation down or create a green lawn to provide a firebreak between homes and brush, the fire chief said.
 “People just need to spend some time preparing their property,” Atwood said.
 The county burn ban will go back into effect on Sunday night. With June’s rainy weather, officials had allowed open burning to continue beyond the normal start of the burn ban.
 The Weiser Area Rural Fire Department received a type 4 surplus brush truck from the BLM that has been repainted and is now in service for the season.
 The truck’s tank holds 800 gallons of water and it can access tougher terrain than the department’s structure engines.      The WARFD district includes Annex and extends into Malheur County. To the north, the fire district extends toward Midvale, which has its own fire district. The WARFD has two fire stations – one in Weiser and one north of town on Jackson Road.
 The rural fire district has mutual aid agreements with both the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service to assist if needed in the event of fire on public lands. Likewise, fire crews with the federal agencies will respond if called to assist fire districts.
 Staffing for the summer fire season is already in place in the USFS Weiser and Council ranger districts. There are two fire engines and crews stationed at each location on the forest’s west zone. They also are responsible for fire coverage for BLM land west of U.S. Highway 95.
 The higher elevations of the Payette National Forest usually don’t see a fire season start until July. That’s typically when summer storms bring dry lightning and are responsible for 95 percent of the fire starts.
 The local fire season lasts until late September or October when shorter days and longer nights bring cooler temperatures and lessen the risk of big wildfires. The first “season-ending” event like snow can also put an end to the fire season.