Fire safety must be priority

Although the southwestern United States is burning to the ground, so far there haven't been any major fires in Idaho.

So far.

In fact, historically, southern Idaho -- and this region in particular -- are the areas where wildfires are most common in the entire country.

The desert is rapidly drying out and there is a huge fuel load of grasses there that are just waiting for a spark to ignite them into a major fire.

This time of year is particularly dangerous because of the presence of Fourth of July fireworks. Even legal fireworks can start a fire, but illegal ones are almost certain to do so.

Law enforcement agencies will be cracking down on illegal fireworks this year. The fines can run up to $1,000 for their possession.

Even more importantly, if you start a fire you can be billed for the costs of putting it out. That's not cheap. A small fire can cost several thousand dollars to put out. A big fire can cost millions. It's really not worth it just to hear a loud bang.

And if you want to see something rise in the air and explode, then go enjoy the city fire department's show the evening of July 4. It's spectacular -- and all you'll really need.

In Idaho, there are four seasons -- fall, winter, spring and fire. We're entering the fire season. Let's be particularly careful out there this year.