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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Caution urged outdoors; 2/3 of wildfires on Idaho-protected lands so far are human-caused

Two-thirds of the wildfires that Idaho Department of Lands personnel have fought this summer were caused by people, not lightning, the department noted this week, urging caution as people work, recreate or travel in or through the outdoors during the height of wildfire season.

Escaped campfires, field burns and debris burns that got out of control, farming and logging equipment failures and car fires along roadways are the chief causes so far, the department said.

“It is critical to use caution in the outdoors and prepare yourselves with the right equipment to respond if you do accidentally start a fire, or simply call 9-1-1 right away so firefighters can arrive quickly,” said Idaho state Forester David Groeschl.

He said, “We are still in the peak of fire season.”



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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