Wildland fire

Wildland fire

Though a natural part of the many and varied ecosystems of Idaho, wildfire is one of the most feared, fought and controversial components of our physical environment. Wildfires are unplanned wildland fires that spread quickly through forests and rangelands. Gain an understanding of fire ecology and obtain important information about living and playing in the wildland/urban interface.

Fire and the wildland/urban interface

The wildland/urban interface (WUI) refers to areas where people have built homes in or near adjacent wildland areas. WUI areas often abut against state or federal forest and rangelands. Learn how to increase the fire “resistiveness" of both your home and surrounding landscape, and what to do in the event of a wildfire emergency.

Related resources

• Protecting and landscaping homes in the wildland/urban interface (SB 67)
• Fire resistant plants for home landscapes, PNW 590
• Are you prepared? (pdf)
• Do I still believe in landscaping for fire prevention? (pdf)
• Landscaping for fire prevention (pdf)
• Top 10 worst reasons to not prepare your home for forest fires (pdf)
• The Idaho firewise program (pdf)
• Are you ready for a blizzard of red snow? (pdf)
• Wildfire: not if, but when (pdf)
• Mulches for firewise landscapes (pdf)
• Maintaining fire resistive landscapes (pdf)
• Managing fire on lands protected by the state of Idaho: a handbook for policy makers, landowners and Idaho citizens (pdf)

Wildfire evacuation

Homeowners living in the wildland/urban interface need to be prepared to evacuate themselves, their pets and their livestock in the event of a wildfire disaster. Once evacuation orders have been given, it is vitally important that WUI residents leave early — 60% of lives lost to wildland fire are of those that chose to stay and wait and see and then evacuated too late.

Related resources

• In the event of a wildfire (pdf)
• If you get trapped (pdf)
• Returning home (pdf)
• Replacing important lost or damaged documents in Idaho, BUL 903
• Wildfire Preparedness for Pets and Livestock (pdf)
• Idaho Firewise
• National Interagency Fire Center
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• American Red Cross

Fire ecology

The landscapes of Idaho are ones dependent on periodic wildfires. Learn more about the ecology of fire and how it is essential for the maintenance of healthy forests.

Related resources

• Wildfire and water (pdf)
• Fire in forest ecosystems of the Inland west (pdf)
• Prescribed burning: a natural way to manage ecosystems (pdf)
• Silvicultural decisions XI: can fire hazard deduction treatments help achieve other silvicultural objectives? (pdf)
• Wildfire and wildlife: living in fire-based ecosystems (pdf)
• Association of Fire Ecology
• Earth Observatory
• Fire Research and Management Exchange System (FRAMES)

Post-fire management

Your forest and/or rangelands burned — now what do you do? Learn how to return home safely, assess the post-fire condition of your forestland, and plan and conduct post-fire rehabilitation efforts.

Related resources

• Postfire management — erosion control (pdf)
• Postfire management — reforestation (pdf)
• After the burn: assessing and managing your forestland after a wildfire (SB 76)
• Salvage logging (pdf)
• After the fires: hydrophobic soils (pdf)
• Forest fire risk reduction alternatives for slash (pdf)