It’s the last day of July, and Idaho’s wildfire season is keeping land managers busy. There are currently seven large fires burning in the state.
Jessica Gardetto is with the Bureau of Land Management Idaho office. She says that compared to last year’s record-breaking fire season, Idaho’s rangeland fire picture looks normal.
“The grasses are shorter," says Gardetto, "They didn’t have as much of a chance to grow this spring as they did last spring.”
Gardetto also says there have been fewer human-caused and lighting fires so far this year compared to last year. But she says Idaho’s fire season is approaching its most intense month.
“August can sometimes be a game-changer in fire season largely because a lot of dry lighting tends to come through during the last bit of July and the month of August," she says. "And by this point, the fuels out there have had a lot of time to dry out.”
Right now there are three active rangeland fires burning in the Twin Falls area. More than 61,000 acres of BLM land have burned in Idaho so far this year.
