Tuesday’s Stage II Fire Restrictions are
planned to address long-term danger with regard to fire risk, long-term weather
expectations, fire danger and fire behavior.
“This decision to go to Stage II was not made lightly, nor will it
be rescinded without careful consideration,” stated Bob Lippincott, Forest Fire
Management Officer for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.
The purpose of fire restrictions is to
reduce the risk of human-caused fires during unusually high fire danger and/or
burning conditions. Fire Managers and
Agency Administrators across Northern Idaho worked together to initiate and
implement the Stage II Restrictions.
When this group agrees that the restrictions for our area can be
removed, the entire area will rescind restrictions as a whole.
This fire season is different from recent fire seasons
because fire dangers are at a record high.
The extreme heat and dryness has not been experienced in 20 years. According to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, precipitation for the months of April through
June across the northern half of Idaho was between 25 and 50 percent of normal.
The threat of wildfire danger
is expected to continue throughout the rest of the summer and into the fall. The Significant Wildland Fire Potential
Outlook for July and August lists all of North Idaho in ‘Above Normal’
potential indicating a higher than usual likelihood that wildland fires will
occur and/or become significant events. To view the Significant Wildland Fire
Potential Outlook map, please visit http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf
Between Friday, July 10 and
Saturday, July 11, the forest recorded 2,527 lightning occurrences, at least 84
of which reached the ground. Amounts of
recorded rainfall with these storms varied tremendously across the reporting
area, from trace amounts to almost 2 inches over the last 48 hours.
This moisture has not
significantly reduced the long-term danger
with regard to fire risk, long-term weather expectations, and fire
danger/behavior. Despite the rainfall, lightning associated with recent
storm events resulted in several reported fires on the Forest with additional
fires reported across the Grangeville Interagency Dispatch Zone. As fuels dry out it is likely that fires could
continue to be discovered.
For additional information,
please call your local Land Management Agency.
