Wet Spring Increases Brush Fire Potential

Southwestern Idaho faces another severe brush fire season.

In 1995, 187,000 acres of federal land burned and two Kuna firefighters were killed. There is a similar amount of fuel this year with heavy growths of grass from the wet spring, said Bill Casey, fire management officer for the Lower Snake River District of the Bureau of Land Management.

The brush is turning drier even earlier than in 1995, Casey said.

Last weekend, two brush fires totaling 50 acres burned near Mountain Home and Grand View. The first range fire of 1995 was not until mid-June.