Lightning, fireworks pose risk for fire season

Fire Chief Phil Gridley is getting increasingly nervous as the summer fire season gets underway.

And he's particularly nervous about the next few weeks as people shoot off illegal fireworks in a desert that is rapidly turning into a tinderbox.

From the local firefighters to the Forest Service and the BLM, "everyone is expecting a much higher occurance" of fires this season he said.

"We haven't had a major fire in the last three or four years," he said, and that means a lot of "fuel" in the form of grasses and other foilage has had a chance to build up on the desert. Combine that with the fact that the lengthy period of spring rains has caused even more grass to grow on the desert than normal, this year's "fuel load" is at near record levels in the Elmore County area.

As all those grasses dry out, the area will become a tinderbox just waiting to explode, he said, urging everyone to be fire conscious this year and avoid any activities that could spark a blaze.

Gridley also noted that unlike previous years, the changing weather patterns have brought more lightning storms than normal. "Right now, it's wet lightning," he said, referring to the fact that the storms that have passed through the area in recent weeks have been accompanied by heavy rain, helping suppress any fires. "But that's going to dry out," and any lightning over the next few months is likely to start some significant wildfires.

"We're predicting the number of fires will be way above average this year," he said.

That means people should be careful driving in the desert or hills, since hot mufflers and catalytic converters can easily start fires. Campers should make sure their campfires are completely out, and no one should even consider using fireworks out in the desert, he said.

"A lot of people go out in the desert to shoot off illegal fireworks," he said, "and that almost always sparks a few fires."

Individuals who start a wildfire can be charged for the costs of fighting it, a cost that in some cases could run into millions of dollars.

Gridley noted that it is easy to buy illegal fireworks in Idaho. There are a number of businesses in the Treasure Valley, including one off Simco Road, that sell fireworks that cannot be legally used in Idaho.

"All people have to do is sign a paper saying they won't use them in Idaho," Gridley said. "I've looked at some of those forms, and you should see the names people sign. Mickey Mouse. Bill Clinton. It's an absolute joke.

"The state fire marshall has gone to the legislature trying to get the sale of illegal fireworks banned in Idaho. But the bill was killed in committee on a 5-4 voice vote, so we can't even identify who voted against it. The argument I heard that was used was any law like that would be a violation of the Constitutional right to bear arms.

"Meanwhile, we're out there fighting fires those illegal fireworks cause."

In general, state law says that no fireworks that explode or can be launched into the air can be used in Idaho. Only "safe and sane" fireworks are allowed.

In Mountain Home, city ordinances prevent the sale of anything other than safe and sane fireworks from the vendors who set up in the city.

Gridley noted that almost none of the states surrounding Idaho allow the use of any fireworks other than safe or sane, "so when they sign the form saying they'll use them out of state, they've got a long ways to go. As far as I know, only Wyoming and North and South Dakota allow them."