Idaho officials have tallied up what they hope will be the final wildfire suppression costs for 2026, tacking on a few million dollars more to the state credit card.
Barring any last minute burns, Idaho will have spent more than $47 million this year tackling 227 wildfires on state lands. Nearly all of them were human caused.
About 10,400 acres of state endowment land burned during 2026 – the second most incendiary season in the past four years.
About $20 million of the total funds are expected to be reimbursed by the federal government or other agencies, leaving the state’s share at $27.5 million.
But Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller said it could take more than three years to recover those funds.
“Getting the cost estimates in and all the different components of what went into suppressing these fires – all those details it takes some time to process,” Miller said.
Most of the funds went towards personnel – $13 million – including pre-positioning crews at strategic locations to combat wildfires. Another $4.9 million paid for aerial firefighting services.
While temperatures are dropping, Idaho is still extremely dry. Anyone spending time in the backcountry should take proper steps to keep their fires from spreading.
Copyright 2026 Boise State Public Radio
