Aug. 11, 2025
Op-ed by Darcy Helmick
Chair, Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission
Here we are now, in the typically hot month of August in Idaho. Our rangelands and forests are extremely dry at this time of year, and ripe for burning.
Darcy Helmick (courtesy University of Idaho)
Currently Stage 1 fire restrictions are in place for State, BLM and Forest Service lands, but we need to double-down in our message to Idahoans about the need for everyone to be smart and do your part to prevent wildfires.
As a rancher, mom, business woman, volunteer wildland firefighter and chair of the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission (IRRC), I’m particularly concerned about the huge potential for range fires ignited by careless people when they’re venturing outdoors.
Roughly 80 percent of the wildfires that occur in Idaho and the West are typically human-caused. It might be accidental; it might be out of neglect. But we can make a difference if we use common sense.
I live near Grand View, and when I see a giant mushroom cloud rising above the Snake River Plains and the mountains above, I get this awful feeling in my heart about who or what might be killed or injured by that wildfire, who’s valuable range might be getting burned up, the potential loss of wildlife and livestock, native plants and shrubs, and more.
In IRRC’s Life on the Range series, we featured a story about the human-caused Moose wildfire near Salmon in 2022. The fire quickly took off in steep terrain in the Salmon River Breaks, and burned 130,000 acres over 4 ½ months, causing millions in damage.
One careless camper left a campfire unattended the morning after spending the night next to the Salmon River. Sparks from the campfire blew across the river into a steep canyon and suddenly the whole canyon was ablaze. All of this because of one person neglecting to do one of the most basic things when you go camping – put out your campfire until it’s dead-out! It must be doused with water until it’s cold to the touch.
Humans can cause fires in other ways too:
- Vehicle fires occur along our highways and freeways from poorly maintained vehicles or flat tires that can turn into balls of fire.
- Dragging chains behind any kind of trailer.
- Errant bullets can strike rocks and spark wildfires from shooters who don’t have a proper backstop.
- Sparks from chainsaws, motorbikes or ATVs can ignite wildfires in tall grass.
- Arson-caused fires … the unthinkable does happen!
Dry conditions in the West make the risk of catastrophic wildfire from lightning that comes with afternoon thunderstorms very high. Firefighter staffing is limited within the region. When a human-caused fire starts, it can force firefighting professionals to respond to areas they wouldn’t otherwise have to be, and prevent them from responding quickly to lightning—caused fires that can quickly move across the landscape.
Please, do your part to keep Idaho, Idaho, and let’s enjoy the rest of the summer with clear blue smokeless skies.
Darcy Helmick is the chair of the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission.
