Environment

Dark smoke rises above a line of trees with mountains visible on the right side of the picture.

From air quality concerns to evacuations, wildfires impact pretty much everyone. We've rounded up some resources to make sure you're prepared as we head into Idaho's wildfire season.

Nevada Wildfire Burns Through Prime Sage Grouse Habitat

Boise State Public Radio News | By Frankie Barnhill

Published July 16, 2018 at 7:52 AM MDT

This July 8, 2018 satellite image from NASA's Suomi NPP satellite shows the Martin Fire in Nevada from space. The NASA satellite captured infrared imaging of the fire that has burned nearly 700 square miles.

The Martin Fire has scorched almost 700 square miles north of Winnemucca. Much of that land is owned by the Bureau of Land Management.

Don Smurthwaite with is BLM Idaho, and says the wildfire charred prime sage grouse habitat.

“We know that the Martin Fire did burn through some of the better habitat for sage grouse that we have in northern Nevada," says Smurthwaite, "so that’s a big concern for all of us right now.”

Smurthwaite says although Idaho has so far not seen the same kind of wildfire activity on rangeland this year, grasses in lower elevations are dry and ready to burn.

“We haven’t had a lot of lightning so far and so that’s been a good thing. But really what stands between us and perhaps a very troublesome fire season is just that source of ignition.”

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, wildfire risk increases across southern Idaho this week.

Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill

Nevada Wildfire Burns Through Prime Sage Grouse Habitat

You make stories like this possible.