Fire District Proposed In East Bonner County Parts Of County Have No Protection; But Some Residents Oppose Taxes New District Would Bring

East Bonner County residents have a choice when it comes to fire protection.

They can either buy a bunch of fire extinguishers or they can rally to form a new fire district.

“In reality, we don’t have any fire protection here. It’s take care of yourself,” said Carol Deaner, a member of an ad hoc committee stumping for a fire district.

Two households faced that reality this past week, when one home nearly burned down east of Hope and another homeowner’s shed was lost to fire near Clark Fork.

Both fires were outside established fire districts.

The Young family, which rented a home on Denton Road, was displaced because of a chimney fire. When one of the children called 911, the family learned the disappointing news that they had no fire department.

The risk of losing one’s home, and the high cost of fire insurance in unprotected areas, is driving the effort to form the Eastside Fire District.

Supporters collected more than 300 signatures in favor of the new taxing district and presented them to the county. Now, Bonner County commissioners plan to hold a public hearing Jan. 3 to take testimony on the need for the district.

The only fire department east of the North Bonner County Fire District, which extends just past the Pack River, is in Clark Fork. City officials there are interested in joining a new, expanded fire district, however.

The proposed district would cover all unprotected areas east of the Pack River.

“It (Clark Fork) was too late to be included,” said Hal Garver, a committee member. “If they do want to be in after the district is formed, they can petition to join, and we’ll be happy to have them.”

Some residents don’t think the district is necessary and dread paying any new taxes, Deaner said.

The expected tax bill would be about $160 per $100,000 of assessed value on a home, property not included. The district would only tax structures, not land, ad hoc committee members said.

That will help pay for firefighting equipment, fire stations and training.

Deaner said the plan is to initially beef up facilities, equipment and volunteer firefighting forces in the Hope and East Hope areas, where there are remnants of volunteer fire departments.

But it could take as long as five years for the district to have a fully operational fire department, she said.

The idea of forming a fire district was posed earlier this year by the state Department of Lands, which fights wildland fires in the area.

The Department of Lands won’t fight a structure fire unless it’s threatening to spread to the forest. And even then, a local fire district would be able to respond faster than either state or U.S. Forest Service crews, who would have to drive from Sandpoint, said Nick Nichols, Department of Lands fire warden.

“This time of year we don’t even have water in our trucks,” Nichols said. “Now there’s no threat of wildfires.”

Deaner is hopeful that a new fire district would benefit from federal money freed up following last summer’s wildland fires. Used equipment, too, is available.

This sidebar appeared with the story: HEARING

Bonner County Commissioners plan to hold a public hearing to take testimony on the need for a fire district. The hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 3 in the Bonner County Courthouse.