Ag, Interior secretaries pledge cooperation for fire season

The U.S. secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior signed a joint memorandum pledging interagency cooperation for the upcoming fire season, during a visit today to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise. Idaho Gov. Butch Otter, who joined Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke for the signing and spoke with reporters, said, “There’s a new sheriff in town, and there’s a whole new idea called collaboration and working together.”

You can read the full memorandum here ; it’s actually something the two departments sign each year, but it’s the first time the two secretaries came out in person and signed it together at NIFC, where wildland firefighting efforts are coordinated for the nation. Zinke said, “It really is about a shared stewardship. All of us care deeply to make sure that we have public access, to make sure that we keep our public lands in perpetuity.”

The secretaries also toured NIFC and flew with smokejumpers as part of their visit. Earlier today, they met with Gov. Butch Otter and an array of others to discuss sage grouse; and spoke to a large crowd of federal agency employees, legislators and others at Boise State University.